President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, subject to Senate confirmation.

Below are key facts about Darma:

1. Engineering and Academic 

Background

Darma is a trained mechanical engineer and academic. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Bayero University Kano, where he also lectured in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is recognised for his contributions to teaching and research in engineering-related fields.

2. Experience in Public Administration

He has held multiple public service roles at both state and federal levels. In Katsina State, Darma served during the administration of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as commissioner across several ministries, including Works and Housing, Rural Development, Transport, and Women Affairs.

3. Former PTDF Chief Executive

At the federal level, Darma served as Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), where he supervised scholarship schemes, capacity-building programmes, and institutional development initiatives in the oil and gas sector.

4. Infrastructure and Development Focus

His nomination aligns with his extensive background in infrastructure and governance. Over the years, he has been involved in policy formulation and programme implementation related to public infrastructure and development planning.

5. Political Involvement

Darma has remained active in politics, particularly in northern Nigeria. He was the deputy governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Katsina State during the 2023 elections but was later removed by the party after endorsing the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dikko Radda, at an unauthorised meeting.

6. Public Profile

He is widely regarded as a technocrat, combining academic expertise with practical governance experience across different levels of public service.

7. Political Ambition

Darma has declared interest in contesting for the Katsina Central Senatorial seat under the APC in the 2027 general elections.