The Federal Government has appointed Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed substantive Minister of Finance, as she relinquished her position as Minister of State for Budget and Planning, days after being named Supervising Minister to replace Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who resigned he appointment last Friday.
Confirming the development, a tweet from the official handle of the Federal Ministry of Finance said Mrs. Ahmed, a chartered accountant is “now to be appropriately addressed as Minister of Finance.”
Adeosun resigned on Friday, September 14, 2018, following the controversy that trailed her NYSC exemption certificate.
Making the clarification after the FEC meeting, Presidential Spokesperson, Femi Adesina said “You know she was Minister of State budget and National Planning, she will relinquish that or she has relinquished that to go and oversee the finance ministry, so that is her status for now.”
Asked whether Ahmed is a supervising minister or overseeing Minister or Acting Minister of Finance, he said, “It is a matter of nomenclature, yes but she is overseeing the Ministry.
“What you call her is a matter of nomenclature but if she is overseeing the ministry, then she is. But note that she is no longer minister of state budget and national planning for now until anything contrary happens. But for now, she is in charge of the Ministry of finance.
“Well, you know that statement was written in English and that statement says she will oversee the ministry of finance, let’s leave it like that. I just told you she is no longer minister of state budget and national planning, she will be minister of finance, in fact that was how she was addressed at council. Don’t forget it is also a legal thing, if a minister is going to be appointed there are procedures that is why it is a deployment,” he said.