Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya on Wednesday inaugurated a newly reconstituted State Executive Council, expanding the number of executive ministries from 18 to 23 in a sweeping restructuring designed to accelerate service delivery in the closing months of his second and final term.
The swearing-in ceremony, held at the International Conference Centre in Gombe, drew a large crowd of political supporters, traditional leaders, and civil servants from across the state’s 11 local government areas and 13 local council development areas, many of whom travelled to the state capital to witness the inauguration of officials from their home districts.
In all, 23 commissioners and 13 special advisers took the oath of office alongside one permanent secretary and the state’s newly appointed head of civil service, Mu’azu Shehu, formally completing the second-term cabinet reshuffle that had been the subject of weeks of speculation in Gombe’s political circles.
Central to the restructuring was the creation of two new ministries: the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and the Ministry of Livestock Development.
Governor Yahaya said the livestock ministry, in particular, was designed to dovetail with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with a mandate to boost livestock productivity, expand value chains, strengthen food security, and cement Gombe’s standing as one of Nigeria’s leading livestock-producing states.
The governor said appointments to the cabinet were made with an eye toward geographic and demographic balance, insisting that commissioners and advisers were drawn from across all local government and council development areas based on competence, experience, and diversity, a move he framed as central to his commitment to inclusive governance.
With roughly ten months left in his tenure, which is constitutionally bound to end on May 29, 2027, Governor Yahaya struck a tone of urgency in his address to the newly sworn-in officials, cautioning them against corruption, indiscipline, and divisive politics as the administration enters its final lap.
“We are approaching the twilight of our administration,” the governor told the gathering. “Your achievements must become our greatest campaign tools because this government speaks through its work and verifiable performance. You have less than one year to make your mark.”
He reminded appointees that holding public office is a “sacred trust,” urging them to govern with fiscal discipline, transparency, and what he described as the fear of God.
In his remarks, the newly sworn-in Head of Civil Service, Mu’azu Shehu, signaled a major shift in how the state bureaucracy will operate going forward, announcing plans to transition Gombe’s public service into a fully digitized, paperless framework aimed at improving administrative efficiency.
Speaking on behalf of the cabinet, the attorney general and commissioner for justice, Zubairu Umar, together with commissioner for information Moses Bolda and commissioner for housing Mohammed Fawu, pledged to deliver innovative solutions and push forward priority infrastructure projects before the administration’s mandate expires in May 2027.
Full List of the 23 Commissioners and Their Portfolios
- Abdulkadir Waziri — Agriculture and Food Security
- Micah Hamman — Budget and Economic Planning
- Aishatu Maigari — Education
- Sanusi Pindiga — Energy and Mineral Resources
- Yusuf Jalingo — Environment and Forest Resources
- Muhammad Magaji — Finance and Economic Development
- Danladi Bojude — Health
- Mohammed Fawu — Housing and Urban Development
- Aishatu Ahmed — Humanitarian Affairs & Poverty Reduction
- Moses Bolda—Information, Strategy and Culture
- Adamu Kupto — Internal Security and Home Affairs
- Zubairu Umar — Justice (Attorney-General)
- Ibrahim Turaki — Land and Physical Planning
- Salihu Alkali — Livestock Development
- Sani Haruna — Local Government & Community Development
- L. Faruk — Rural Development and Cooperative
- Habu Dahiru — Science, Technology and Innovation
- Shehu Abdullahi — Special Duties & Regional Integration
- Nasir Aliyu—Trade, Industry and Tourism
- Bala Adams — Water Resources
- Bertha Danja — Women Affairs and Social Development
- Usman Maijama’a Kallamu — Works and Infrastructure
- Yusuf Kwadon — Youth and Sports Development
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Governor Yahaya has reshuffled Gombe’s cabinet at a pivotal moment, expanding executive ministries from 18 to 23 and swearing in 23 commissioners, 13 special advisers, and a new head of civil service with barely ten months left in his final term.
This isn’t business as usual; it’s a race against the clock. New ministries for livestock development and humanitarian affairs/poverty reduction signal specific policy priorities, but the governor’s own words set the real stakes. With an election-bound successor government approaching, this team’s performance, not promises, will define the administration’s legacy before the May 29, 2027 handover.
With the cabinet now fully constituted, attention in Gombe will turn to how quickly the expanded executive council and its two newly created ministries can translate Wednesday’s promises into measurable results before the Yahaya administration hands over power in May 2027.
