One of the Ministerial nominees presented to the Senate on July 27 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is Muhammad Idris, a renowned entrepreneur. He is easily known as the Publisher of Blueprint newspapers, based in Abuja, Nigeria, but people refer to him simply as chairman.
Muhammad Idris, who holds the traditional title of Kakaaki Nupe, in Niger State, is a nominee from Niger State, North Central Nigeria.
His mission statement is based on providing a purposeful and result-oriented leadership at the highest level of policy formulation and implementation in the executive branch of the Nigerian government to engender national growth and development.
PERSONAL PROFILE
Accomplished media entrepreneur, Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) philanthropist, political leader and a family man.
PERSONAL DATA
Marital Status: Married with Children
Date of Birth:May 2nd 1966
State of Origin: Niger state
Local Govt. Area: Gbako
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS WITH DATES
1995: Masters Degree in English (M.A English) -Bayero University, Kano
1987: Bachelor of Arts Degree in English (B.A English) -University of Sokoto (now Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto)
1984: Pre-Degree Programme at the University of Sokoto (now Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto)
1983: Zungeru College of Advanced Studies, Bida, Niger State 1982: Senior School Certificate – Government Secondary School,
Rijau, Niger State
1977: First School Leaving Certificate-Central Primary School, Kontagora, Niger State
COURSES, CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS ATTENDED
Attended several local and international workshops and conferences on public relations, media entrepreneurship and leadership
POLITICAL ENGAGEMENTS
2019-2023: Helped to Reposition and Rebrand the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State
WORK EXPERIENCE
BIFOCAL COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED (a leading Public Relations company in Nigeria)
1996-Date: Chairman and Lead Consultant
Has been the Lead Consultant and visioner of the company for over 30 years; leading the team to provide communications solutions to clients in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy
Served as Communications Consultant to the Federal Government Project to promote Girl Child Education in Nigeria from 2007 to 2009
Served as Communications Consultant on the Promotion of Nomadic Education in Northern Nigeria by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2007 to 2009
Led the committee that developed and implemented Training Guide for Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) across Nigeria from 2009 to 2011
Appointed as Communications Consultant by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from 2017 to 2021
Facilitated the Design and Implementation of Strategic Communications Guidelines for the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in 2019-2022
BLUEPRINT NEWSPAPERS (Publishers of Blueprint, Blueprint Weekend and Manhaja (the Hausa language title)
2011- Till Date: Publisher and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Created a major disruption in the coverage of government policies, incisive analysis and reportage of major events in Nigeria
Led the Editorial team of the Newspaper on a ground-breaking approach to the coverage of security issues and counter terrorism efforts of the Federal Government in Northern Nigeria.
Hosted The Blueprint Annual Impact Series and Awards, one of the largest and longest-running conferences on social, political and economic policies by a Media Organization in Northern Nigeria since 2019.
Led Blueprint Newspapers (Blueprint, Blueprint Weekend and Manhaja) to become the second most read newspapers in Northern Nigeria
Recognized as one of the most astute Publishers in Nigeria by the Northern Media Forum and the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN)
BLUEPRINT TELEVISION (BTV Hausa) The Newest Hausa Language Television channel in Nigeria
2023-Date: Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
ABUJA PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (APDC)
Served at F.C.T.A – Owned Property Development Company
January, 2023-June, 2023: Re-appointed Chairman, Board of Directors
2017-2022: Chairman, Board of Directors ADMINISTRATIVE INTERVENTIONS AT APDC.
Led the management of APDC to the completion of a Permanent Head Office Complex after over 10 years of operating from a rented office space
OTHER POSITIONS HELD
2000-2011: Editor-in-Chief, The Market (the first Business-oriented Magazine in Northern Nigeria)
2004-2008: Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Kaduna State Chapter
2004-2007: Vice Chairman, Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN)
2008: Became a Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR)
2018-2021: Publicity Secretary, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN)
2020-Date: Secretary General, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN)
2021-Date: Member, International Press Institute (IPI)
2021: Nigerian Delegate to the World Press Congress in Switzerland by the IPI
Member, US-based Online News Association
Member, Northern Media Forum
Member, Northern Broadcast Media Owners Association
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
2022: Media Icon Award by the Nigeria Union of Journalists
2022: Special Recognition Award by National Association of Niger
State Students (NANIS)
2021: Meritorious Service Award by Abuja Property Development Company (APDC)
2021: Appointed and Turbaned as Kakaaki Nupe by the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar
2021-Date: Chairman, Kings Broadcasting Limited; owners of WE FM 106.3, Abuja
2014: NIPR Presidential Special Recognition Award for Meritorious Service to the Public Relations Profession and Humanity.
2007: Distinguished Service Award by the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN)
HOBBIES
Reading and Networking.
Other nominees and their profiles are as follows:
Abubakar Momoh is from Etsako East LGA of Edo State. A civil engineer, and a two-time member of the house of representatives for Edo North senatorial district. He was the leader of the mass defection from PDP to APC in 2019 elections
Mohammed Dangiwa, a Nigerian politician and chieftain of Kankian Katsina. He has over 30 years of experience in real estate, infrastructure development, and management. He has held positions as Managing Partner of AM Design Consult and in Jarlo International Nig. Ldt. Dangiwa is a professional architect, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Executives of Nigeria, and an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects. He holds an MSc and MBA from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and is an alumnus of Wharton University, Pennsylvania. Mr Dangiwa contested in the APC governorship primary election in Katsina State in May 2022.
Hanatu Musawa, is a lawyer, a newspaper columnist, and the Deputy Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC). She is the current Special Adviser on Culture and Entertainment to President Bola Tinubu. She holds a degree in law from the University of Buckingham, UK, and took a Postgraduate master’s Degree in the Legal Aspects of Marine Affairs from the University of Cardiff, Wales. She also has a Postgraduate master’s Degree in Oil and Gas Law from the University of Aberdeen. She is completing a Doctorate, which she has been doing part-time.
Yusuf Maitama Tugar: a Nigerian politician and diplomat, has been the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany since 2017. Born in 1967, Tukur served as a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, representing Gamawa and twice running for Bauchi State Governor. He was involved in the 23rd Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and facilitated German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s state visit to Nigeria. In 2020, he attended a meeting with Siemens in Germany over Nigerian power sector projects but tested negative for COVID-19.
Uche Nnaji, a businessman and politician from Enugu State, was born into a coal-city family. Nnaji was a one-time senatorial aspirant in the Enugu East Senatorial Zone. He Won the senatorial ticket of the AD in 1999 but later stepped down for the former governor of old Anambra State, Jim Nwobodo. He was the governorship candidate of the APC in the state for the 2023 election. He lost to Peter Mbah of the PDP.
Betta Edu, F, 36, is the current national women leader of All Progressive Congress. She was Cross River State Commissioner for Health until her resignation in 2022. She was also National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum. In 2015, Betta Edu became the youngest person to be appointed Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Cross River State Benedict Ayade on Community and Primary Healthcare. The 36-year-old politician is a Fellow of the Royal School of Public Health and the African Institute of Public Health Professionals.
Doris Aniche Uzoka, F, is the current Imo State Commissioner for Finance. She has also served as the SA Presidential Policy Advisory Council (National Economy). Uzoka is said to have had decades of political and professional affinity with Lagos and was an easy pick for Tinubu because of her background in the finance sector.
David Nweze Umahi CON, M, born 25 July 1963 is a Nigerian politician, senator currently representing Ebonyi South Senatorial District since 2023. He previously served as the governor of Ebonyi State from 2015 to 2023, and as deputy governor from 2011 to 2015. David Umahi, who served as the Governor of Ebonyi State and represents Ebonyi South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, is getting ready to step down from his position as a senator.
Ezenwo Nyesom Wike CON, M, a member of the People’s Democratic Party, was born December 13, 1967 in Obio-Akpor, Rivers State, Nigeria. Wike began his political career as the Executive Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers in 1999, a position he held until 2007. In 2007, he was appointed as the chief of staff to the governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi. In July 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as the Minister of State for Education and was promoted to Federal Minister of Education in September 2013. From 2015 to 2023, he served as the governor of Rivers State.
Mohamed Badaru: Mohamed Badaru served as governor of Jigawa from 2015 to 2023. The 60-year-old graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he obtained a B.Sc Accounting degree. After his graduation, he established his business, the Talamiz Group, a conglomerate with diverse interests in automobiles, manufacturing, agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as commodity distribution. He appointed Alhaji Hameem Nuhu Sunusi as the new Emir of Dutse after the death of his father. He also led the Jigawa APC campaign council during the last elections.
Nasir El-Rufai, 63, served as minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007 and also served as Kaduna governor from 2015 to 2013. As governor of Kaduna, Rufai introduced a school feeding programme to encourage thousands of Children to attend school. In 2008, El-Rufai went into self-imposed exile and became a vocal critic of the Umaru Yar’Adua administration.
Ekperikpe Ekpo was senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District in the last 2023 general elections. He lost his senatorial bid to the current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Nkiru Onyejiocha is from Abia State. She graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She was one of the longest-serving members of the House of Representatives until 2023. She was first elected a member of the House of Representatives in 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), then Nigeria’s ruling party. She defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2018 and won her re-election bid for a fourth term in the house of representatives in 2019. She lost her reelection bid to Chief Amobi Ogah of the Labour Party (LP) in the just concluded 2023 general election.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, M, was born 1 May 1982. He is a Nigerian politician, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is a member of the House of Representatives (Nigeria), representing Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State. He is the Chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).He is currently serving his first term in the National Assembly (Nigeria) having been elected in March 2019 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Stella Okotete graduated from Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, where she majored in International Studies and Diplomacy. She was appointed the Executive Director (Business Development) at the Nigeria Export and Import Bank( NEXIM) by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022. Between 2011 and 2015, she served as the Special Assistant and Adviser to the Executive Governor of Delta State on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye was the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s only female presidential candidate but later withdrew to back President Bola Tinubu. She is a legal practitioner and businesswoman based in Abuja.
Bello Mohammed Goronyo was the former Commissioner of Information and Chairman of the Publicity Committee of the PDP Gubernatorial Campaign Council before he defected to the ruling party, APC in 2019 alongside 7400 others. He considers Sen. Wamakko, his respected father.
Dele Alake was born 6 October 1956. He has been a journalist, activist and technocrat. He was the communication advisor and confidant of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola- the winner of the annulled June 12 1993 presidential election in Nigeria. He was a former commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State between 1999–2007 under the then Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. In 2010, Alake revealed intentions to contest the senatorial seat of Ekiti Central but was hindered by an intra-party crisis which made him quit the senatorial race. In 2014, he became director of Media and Communication of the Buhari Campaign Organisation to help Nigeria’s former head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari to victory in the presidential election in Nigeria in February 2015.
Lateef Fagbemi is a Senior Advocate of Nigerian (SAN) from Ijagbo, Kwara State. Born on June 22, 1956, the legal luminary who has been involved in some high-profile cases in the country, served as a counsel in the law firm of Gani Fawehinmi & Co before founding his own. The ministerial nominee is the APC’s team lead attorney defending the 2023 presidential election result in Court. Also the counsel to the All Progressive Congress during Governor Oyetola versus Adeleke’s election tribunal hearing appeal. And the legal counsel to Former Governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu who is being prosecuted by the EFCC for financial crimes.
Olawale Edun is an astute financial and banking expert born in 1967. He served as a two-term as commissioner of finance from 1999 to 2007, under the then Lagos Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He was nominated by Tinubu as a member of the Presidential Transition Council (PTC) after his declaration as winner of the 2023 presidential elections. In February, 2023, he was also a member of the Governing Council, Board of Directors and the Executive Management Team of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoFI) with a charge to raise the value of its portfolio from the current N18 trillion to N100 trillion ($233m) by 2033. Tinubu penned his name as a potential vice-presidential candidate for Former President Buhari alongside Professor Yemi Osibajo and Yemi Cordozo.
Waheed Adebayo Adelabu, born September 28, 1970, is a former deputy governor, Operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He was the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2019 election in Oyo State but lost to Seyi Makinde of the PDP. Prior to 2023, Adelabu dumped APC to contest again on the platform of Accord Party but lost to Seyi, the incumbent governor.
Iman Suleiman Ibrahim, F, was educated at the University of Abuja with a degree in sociology. She was the Director-general of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) between 2020 and 2021. In 2021, she was redeployed as the Honourable Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ali Pate, a Harvard professor of medicine, is a former Minister of State (Health) in the defunct Jonathan Administration. Muhammad Ali Pate CON, born 6 September 1968, formerly served at the World Bank. He resigned as Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health effective 24 July 2013 to take up the position of Professor in Duke University’s Global Health Institute, USA. Professor Mohammed Ali Pate was the gubernatorial candidate of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Bauchi State, after losing his bid for the ticket under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Joseph Utsev, an academic, politician, philanthropist, entrepreneur and administrator. Born into the Utsev Akaa family of Mbaakura, Mbagen in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State. Utsev was appointed Deputy Director and later confirmed as full Director in the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi from 2013 – 2017. He became Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Water Resources and Environment Benue State where he was instrumental to the design of the Idye Basin Phase II (Police Zone 4 – Mobile Barracks) drainage. In 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari approved his appointment as the Executive Director Engineering, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority Makurdi. Within his short stay at the Authority, he led the engineering team and supervised the construction of many dams, bridges, roads, boreholes, drainages, amongst other engineering projects. He is currently the pioneer Rector, Federal Polytechnic Wannune, Benue State
Abubakar Kyari, 60, was the senator representing Borno North Senatorial District in the 9th National Assembly (2015 until his resignation in April 2022). He is currently the Acting National Chairman of the APC. In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander Of The Order Of The Niger (CON) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.
John Enoh, M, Enoh was a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015 representing the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State in the 8th Assembly of the Senate. He was a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) up until May 2017 when he defected to the ruling All progressive Congress (APC) and contested for governorship and lost to incumbent governor Ben Ayade. Enoh runs a philanthropy including founding a foundation tagged JOE (John Owan Enoh) Foundation where he provides help for people living with diabetes in Nigeria.
Abubakar Sani Danladi, a member of the All Progressives Congress party was born on May 20, 1967 in Bachama, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State. Danladi began his political career in 2006 when he served as the Local Government Chairman of Karim Lamido LGA, Taraba State. In 2011, he became the deputy governor of Danbaba Suntai in the Taraba State. In 2014, he became the acting governor of Taraba because Danbaba took ill after being involved in an air crash. Also, in 2015, he won the Taraba North Senatorial seat on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party. However, the Supreme Court sacked him as a Senator on June 23, 2017. Eventually, he defected to the All Progressives Congress, ran for Taraba State governor in 2019 but was again defeated by PDP candidate Darius Ishaku.
