A former Minister of State for Health, Muhammad Pate, has rejected his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the global vaccine alliance, Gavi, to make the ministerial list of President Bola Tinubu.

It was gathered that Pate, a medical doctor who was scheduled to assume office as Gavi’s CEO on August 3, 2023, informed the organisation that “he has taken an incredibly difficult decision to accept a request to return and contribute to his home country, Nigeria.”

He was to replace Seth Barkley, also a medical practitioner, who is expected to end his 12-year reign as the organisation’s CEO in August.

However, Gavi, in a statement published on its website on Monday, June 26, said the board decided to appoint its Chief Operating Officer, David Marlow, to the position of Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective August 3, 2023.

The organisation noted that the appointment followed a communication from Pate that he will not be able to join Gavi.

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Gavi had, in February 2023, approved the appointment of Pate as its next CEO.

It said: “Mr Pate informed the Gavi Board Chairman and Vice Chairman that he has taken an incredibly difficult decision to accept a request to return and contribute to his home country, Nigeria.

“Gavi fully respects the decision and wishes Mr Pate the very best for the future. On informing Gavi, Pate thanked the Chairman of the Gavi Board, José Manuel Barroso, the diverse set of Gavi Board members and partners, current CEO Seth Berkley, and the secretariat staff for their support over the last few months, commenting that he will remain a steadfast champion of the Gavi mission.”

Tinubu, who was sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th President in May 2023, is yet to send the list of his ministers to the National Assembly as required by the law.

However, there are strong indications that the President would forward his ministerial list to the National Assembly after the Eid-el-Kabir celebration slated for June 28, 2023.

Pate is currently the Julio Frenk Professor of Public Health Leadership at Harvard Chan School of Public Health and has served on several health-focused boards and expert panels in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors during his career.

He was Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health between 2011 and 2013.

The Star