Abuja — The Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Hon. Zaphaniah Bitrus Jisalo, has emerged Public Administrator of the Year at the 2026 Leadership Excellence Awards (8thLEEX), polling 86,817 votes in a nationwide public voting exercise monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He secured 67 per cent of the total votes cast in the category, finishing ahead of Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, who received 23,829 votes (18 per cent), and Mr. Thompson Oludare Sunday of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), who garnered 19,645 votes (15 per cent). A total of 130,291 votes were cast in the category.
The LEEX team, led by the Executive Director of Igbere TV and National President of the Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN), James Anya Emeh, formally presented the notification letter to the Minister on Monday, 2 November 2026, at his office in Abuja.
Jisalo’s emergence is a direct recognition of his transformative reforms at the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs. Under his leadership, verification performance for constituency and zonal intervention projects rose significantly from 28.88 per cent in 2023 to 43.13 per cent in 2024. By mid-2026, the Ministry had verified and certified 772 projects across the country, spanning infrastructure, education, healthcare, water supply, rural electrification, and community development.
He also institutionalized transparency by unveiling a 560-page compendium and annual status report on zonal intervention and constituency projects, a milestone in data-driven governance. His ministry introduced a fully automated Enterprise Content Management and Performance Management System in partnership with Galaxy Backbone and the AIG-Imoukhuede Foundation.
Receiving the notification, the minister expressed deep gratitude to those who nominated and voted for him.
“I feel honoured and delighted to have received this recognition. I believe those who voted for me know me by my character, by my knowledge, and by the wisdom of God,” Jisalo said during an interactive session with the LEEX team.
The minister attributed his emergence to the confidence reposed in him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that he is the first indigene of the Federal Capital Territory to be appointed Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs.
“This is the first of its kind. After the election, nobody considered it, but today I am a Minister. The president said he would reward the people of the FCT for giving him their votes, and that is why I am here today,” he stated.
Jisalo, who has served in various capacities under successive administrations — from Local Government Chairman under Presidents Obasanjo and Yar’Adua, to Member of the House of Representatives under Presidents Jonathan and Buhari — described the current administration’s economic reforms as gradual but necessary.
He urged Nigerians to be patient with the ongoing reforms, particularly in the area of security, noting that progress was being made compared to previous years.
On the upcoming 8th Leadership Excellence Awards ceremony scheduled for Thursday, 12 November 2026, at the Nigerian Air Force Banquet Hall, Abuja, the minister confirmed his intention to attend.
“By the grace of God, I will be there to celebrate with the youth and with Nigerians who nominated me,” he said.
Jisalo further described Abuja as a “mini Nigeria,” stressing that his service was for the people of the FCT and the entire country.
The Leadership Excellence Awards, organised by IgbereTV since 2019, remains one of Africa’s leading online media recognition platforms, celebrating excellence in leadership, governance, arts, philanthropy and public service.
