A Nigerian education official has publicly denied involvement in campaigns advocating for his appointment as the country’s new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. Nasir Bala-Ja’o’ji, a member of the Governing Council at the Federal College of Education in Potiskum, Yobe State, distanced himself from recent calls urging President Bola Tinubu to name him as a replacement for Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who vacated the ministerial role after becoming chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued Monday, Ja’o’ji emphasized he had no prior knowledge of the appeals circulating across media platforms and social networks. “I don’t know the brains behind those calls,” he said, adding that neither the groups nor individuals promoting his candidacy had consulted him. Describing the campaigners as potential “well-wishers,” he speculated they might view him as capable of contributing to societal development, particularly for youth communities.
The push for his appointment reportedly emerged after Yilwatda, the former minister, transitioned to lead the APC in July 2023. The Humanitarian Affairs portfolio oversees critical programs aimed at reducing poverty and addressing crises, a key focus in a country where over 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. Ja’o’ji, however, insisted he played no role in the lobbying efforts. “I saw such calls in the media like every other person,” he stated, clarifying that his consent had not been sought. “My hand is not there.”
Political observers note that unsolicited public endorsements for government roles are not uncommon in Nigeria, where influential appointments often spark jostling among stakeholders. Ja’o’ji’s swift disassociation reflects a cautious approach amid heightened scrutiny of the Tinubu administration’s cabinet decisions, which face public pressure to address economic hardship and inefficiencies in social welfare systems.
The presidency has yet to comment on potential nominees for the vacant ministerial position. For now, Ja’o’ji remains focused on his duties in Yobe, a northeastern state grappling with insurgency-related displacement and poverty—a reality underscoring the significance of the role he has been urged, unprompted, to fill.
