President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday failed to name a new Minister of Defence but approved the deployment of the two newly appointed ministers, Prof. Chinedu Osita Nebo and Mr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN).

In a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, and made available to LEADERSHIP last night, the government named Nebo as the substantive minister of power while Turaki became the minister of special duties (office of the president).

The statement added that Nebo (from Enugu State ) and Turaki (Kebbi State) were to resume duties at their respective ministries immediately. Both states had been without representatives in the federal cabinet.

While Nebo replaced Prof. Barth Nnaji, who was removed by Jonathan as minister of power, Turaki replaced Bello Mohammed, the former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was sacked by Jonathan as minister of defence last year.

Turaki was the governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kebbi State during the 2011 general polls.