Nominated by Seyi Tinubu, removed by Ganduje, how Maryam Shetty lost ministerial slot

On Friday, Maryam Shetty, a Kano State-born physiotherapist, was in the news following her nomination and removal by President Bola Tinubu as a prospective minister.

The 44-year old’s nomination was withdrawn and her name replaced with that of Dr. Mariya Mahmud Bunkure, who is also from Kano State.

According to Quest Times, Shetty was withdrawn after Abdullahi Ganduje, the newly elected chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), opposed her nomination.

Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son, had recommended Shetty who, despite lacking political background and public service experience, contributed to the president’s emergence.

Ganduje felt insulted and argued that he should have been consulted by Seyi and Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff, before nominating anyone from his state.

Ganduje, who subsequently met with Tinubu to discuss his opposition towards the young woman’s nomination, won and Dr. Bunkure was nominated in Shetty’s stead.

Bunkure served under Ganduje’s administration as a commissioner for higher education while he was Governor of Kano State between 2015 and 2023.

Shetty might be rewarded with a top position in one of the federal ministries or agencies to compensate for her withdrawn nomination.