Maryam Shetty, also known as Maryam Shettima, was one of the 47 ministerial nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu to the Senate for screening and confirmation on Wednesday, August 2, 2023⁴. She was nominated to represent Kano State, where she was born into a royal family⁶. She is a physiotherapist, a social activist, and the founder of the We Believe Movement, an initiative that promotes national unity and good governance⁴⁷.
However, on Friday, August 4, 2023, President Tinubu withdrew her nomination and replaced her with Mariya Mahmoud, another Kano State indigene². The reason for this decision was not officially stated, but some sources claimed that it was due to a Facebook post that Shetty made three years ago, in which she criticized former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State².
The post, which was exhumed by some online media outlets, read: “Ganduje is a disgrace to Kano and Nigeria. He is a thief and a liar. He has no integrity and no vision. He is the worst governor in the history of Kano. He should be impeached and jailed for corruption and incompetence. Kano deserves better. #NotMyGovernor”.
The post was allegedly made on October 15, 2020, when Ganduje was embroiled in a bribery scandal involving some contractors. The video clips of the alleged bribe-taking were widely circulated on social media and sparked public outrage.
Ganduje, who is a close ally of President Tinubu and a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), denied the allegations and claimed that the videos were doctored². He also sued the online platform that published the videos for defamation and demanded N3 billion in damages. The case was still pending in court as of August 2023.
Some analysts speculated that Shetty’s nomination was withdrawn because of her Facebook post, which could have offended Ganduje and other APC stalwarts in Kano State. They argued that Tinubu might have succumbed to pressure from his political associates to drop Shetty and appease Ganduje.
Shetty’s nomination also generated mixed reactions from Nigerians on social media. Some praised her as a young and vibrant woman who could bring positive change to the country. Others criticized her as an inexperienced and unqualified person who only got the nomination because of her social media presence.
Shetty reacted to the withdrawal of her nomination with grace and gratitude. She said she was honored by President Tinubu’s initial choice and thanked him for the opportunity. She also thanked her supporters and said she would continue to work for the betterment of Nigeria. She said she did not harbor any ill will towards anyone and accepted the decision as the will of God.
Shetty was reportedly compensated with a new appointment as the Special Adviser to the President on Culture and Entertainment on Saturday, August 5, 2023. This appointment was seen by some as a consolation prize for Shetty and a gesture of goodwill by President Tinubu. Others questioned the relevance and impact of the new position for Shetty and the country³.
The withdrawal of Shetty’s nomination and the subsequent appointment raised some issues about the criteria and process of selecting ministerial nominees in Nigeria. Some observers called for more transparency and accountability in the nomination process. They also urged President Tinubu to consider merit, competence, and diversity in his cabinet formation. They said Nigeria needed ministers who could deliver on the promises of good governance, economic development, and social justice.
