• ‘Go out, shout successes’, President tells ministers
• Arewa group faults alleged moves to reinstate Betta Edu
Barring last-minute changes, the Presidency has confirmed that a cabinet reshuffle is imminent, with sources indicating 11 ministers could be relieved of their positions.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed this development yesterday in his first media briefing with State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Onanuga, who was joined in the briefing by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, O’tega Ogra, did not give any timeline for when President Bola Tinubu will reshuffle his cabinet, but insiders believe the announcement will be made later this week after the announcement was delayed at the conclusion of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday.
Onanuga confirmed that the President was considering a reshuffle of his Council but declined to specify how soon the ministers would be moved around or dismissed.
He said: “It’s true President Bola Tinubu has plans to reshuffle his cabinet, but I can’t say specifically whether that will be done before the Independence celebration on October 1.”It is worth noting that President Tinubu appointed his ministers in August last year.
However, those familiar with some of the details of the imminent cabinet change stated that at least 11 ministers have been penciled down for replacement with the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila likely to be relieved of his appointment.
Former minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola is noted to have been identified as a likely replacement for Gbajabiamila. If he declines the offer, the current principal secretary to the President, Hakeem Muri-Okunola has been identified to fill the void.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun is expected to get a junior minister in the person of the Chairman, Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Mr Taiwo Oyedele.
While decisive action is likely to be taken on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, insiders note that the ministry might be scrapped due to the level of malfeasance and corruption perpetrated under the guise of intervention programmes.
Also, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management, Ishak Salaco, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and a few others may not be lucky in the imminent cabinet reshuffle.
According to those familiar with the imminent changes, some ministers may be moved to other ministries, while those found to have performed below par will be removed.
The insiders also noted that a minister who served under the Buhari administration will likely be returned to serve under the present administration.The official confirmation of a cabinet shake-up comes after months of speculation since Tinubu’s first anniversary in office, as Nigerians grumble about the need for better governance performance amid economic challenges.
This is also happening against the backdrop of some ministers falling below expectations regarding his Renewed Hope agenda. A year after President Bola Tinubu inaugurated his 45-minister cabinet, many Nigerians expressed displeasure with the team’s performance.
While some acknowledged flashes of brilliance in some ministers, the consensus of critical stakeholders was the urgency of a cabinet reshuffle, with the President replacing his political allies with more capable, experienced, and committed professionals – if he genuinely hopes to save the country from socio-economic implosion.
Also, President Tinubu has instructed his ministers to actively promote his administration’s accomplishments. According to Onanuga, Tinubu urged the ministers to “go out there and shout about your and the administration’s successes”. He noted that some ministers were hesitant to speak publicly, adding, “Many Nigerians believe the president isn’t doing much, while the government is making significant strides.”
Tinubu emphasised that his ministers should focus more on communicating these achievements to the public. Corroborating this, Ogra said President Tinubu already had some reports on the performance of the cabinet members, which would determine who would be affected by the shake-up.
“We also need to realise that the President’s decision to reshuffle is also based on empirical evidence. He said during the retreat for the ministers that he was going to have periodic reviews, and the decisions or the information extracted from these reviews will be used to make that final decision. I know he’s gotten a couple of reports, and as Mr Onanuga has said, when he’s ready to make changes, I believe he will,” he said.
Stakeholders’ assessment of the ministers indicated that, except for the trio of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, Minister of Works Dave Umahi, and Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, all others performed below par in key deliverables.
The dismal scorecard aligns with the 2024 Quarter 1 assessment report by the President’s Special Adviser on Policy Coordination and the Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU), which scored all the ministers below average in terms of promises and what they delivered.
Concerned stakeholders specifically flayed the administration’s economic and security teams, concluding that under Tinubu, Nigeria has been economically brought to its knees.
While Tinubu’s muddled policies further impoverished the masses, Nigerians expressed displeasure at the extravagant lifestyle of the cabinet members, which they blamed on the president’s inability to lead by example and tame corruption under his watch.
While most stakeholders remained hopeful that the government could address the economic hardship and insecurity, the major opposition parties – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) – stated that the challenges facing Nigeria in terms of welfare and security are neither about ministers nor reshuffling of the cabinet. They claimed that “the president has lost control and his cluelessness is evident in the actions of each cabinet member in various ministries.”
Meanwhile, a group, Arewa Awareness on Good Governance, issued a statement calling on the House of Representatives to resist the alleged attempt to reinstate Dr Betta Edu to her position as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
In the statement released yesterday, the group’s spokesperson, Malam Germa Ibrahim Musa, stressed the need for the lower legislative chamber to uphold its duties as outlined in the 1999 constitution.
The group expressed bewilderment at the apparent push by certain vested interests to reinstate Edu, who President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suspended from office last year for alleged misconduct.
They urged the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas, to reject lobby groups’ efforts to garner support for Edu’s reinstatement. Highlighting the legislature’s primary role as the First Estate of the realm, the group underscored lawmakers’ responsibility to represent citizens, uphold the sovereignty, enact laws, oversee the executive branch, and advocate for constituents.
Furthermore, the group stressed the importance of ensuring accountability, transparency, and the prudent use of public funds while cautioning against rushing to reinstate a government official without a thorough review of allegations.
The statement reiterated the group’s call for Abbas to address the conduct of one of his senior legislative aides, Cecilia Ogbeche-Odok, who had reportedly advocated for Betta Edu’s reinstatement and appealed to President Tinubu to reconsider the suspension.
“Ogbeche’s ineptitude is staggering, and her arrogance knows no bounds. She is out of touch with reality and the needs of Nigerians, and as such, we will not tolerate Ogbeche’s continued presence in the Speaker’s office. We demand decisive action from Speaker Abbas to restore credibility to his office,” the statement concluded. (Guardian)
