Anxiety As Tinubu Plans Cabinet Reshuffle

…As Axe Dangles On Betta Edu, Jisalo, Alkali Others

After several months of expectation that President Bola Tinubu would reshuffle his cabinet to mark one year of his administration, the president has finally decided to reward performing ones while axing those who caved in under the weight of their portfolios.

The anxiety, which was building ahead of the first anniversary, has taken the worst turn after the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated on Wednesday that the president had “expressed his desire” to sack underperforming ministers.

According to sources at the Central Delivery and Coordination Unit (CDCU), which monitors and reviews the performance of cabinet members at the State House, the president is also expected to switch some ministers to different ministries hoping they will perform better.

The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, and Head of CDCU, Hadiza Bala Usman, had on May 25, alerted the ministers to the president’s readiness to axe those who had not keyed into his Renewed Hope agenda.

However, while tension remained especially among those underperforming as their names featured prominently in public discussions, everything went quiet until Wednesday’s reminder by the president’s spokesman that any moment, axe would fall on those the CDCU has categorised “as failed ministers.”

THE WHISTLER learnt the list of those to be sacked and those to be moved to other ministries was ready a few weeks to the president’s one year in power but “he decided against it for a certain reason.”

The CDCU’s assessment looked “at granular tangible outcomes that affect the lives of citizens,” taking into cognizance “time-specific and action-specific performance” since being made a minister.

It was learnt that the ministers on the CDCU list that have received positive reviews, for which the president may allow them carry on with their duties as a mark of endorsement are Dave Umahi (Works), Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (Interior), Nyesom Wike (FCT), Festus Keyamo (Aviation), Lateef Fagbemi (Justice), Mohammed Idris (Information), Bosun Tijani (Digital Economy), Dele Alake (Solid Minerals), Wale Edun (Finance), John Owan Enoh (Sports) and Doris Uzoka-Anite (Trade & Investment).

“Barring any last-minute changes or drama, these are sure to stay,” the source said, hinting that “the CDCU has also recommended some to other ministries, giving a second chance to some to perform and the outright sack of others.”

Also, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, “is gone for good, there is no way back for her. The president would use the cabinet reshuffle to sack her,” the source revealed.

According to the CDCU review, some ministers like Uju Kennedy (Women Affairs), Tahir Mamman (Education), Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs) may have a second chance “because the recommendations from the review warned against large scale changes” or “earthquake in the cabinet.”

The revelation from the CDCU according to the source indicated that ministers with underwhelming performance are Saidu Alkali (Transport), Zephianiah Jisalpo (Special Duties), and Abubakar Kyari (Agriculture).

The president’s ‘men’ such as Muhammad Badaru (Defence), Adegboyega Oyetola (Transportation), Atiku Bagudu (Budget), Bello Matawalle (State Defence), and Ibrahim Gaidam (Police Affairs) are saved as “they are untouchable. These are the untouchables whether they perform or not.”

Also, ministers like Adebayo Adelabu (Power), Joseph Utsev (Water Resources), Muhammad Ali Pate (Health), and others who “have godfathers are likely to stay or be moved to other ministries based on the recommendation depending on what the president makes of it.”

THE WHISTLER learnt from a reliable source that the president may announce the cabinet changes on Independence Day when he is expected to give “a policy speech to the nation.”

It was gathered that the president is likely to give new direction to his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda with a promise to engender fresh policies in key areas, which he would “task the ministers with.”

In view of the development, some ministerials aides have been looking for a way out with a few of them “securing permanent jobs at the civil service already. This is with the view that when the ministers are gone, they will have their job as civil servants.”

Anxiety As Tinubu Plans Cabinet Reshuffle is first published on The Whistler Newspaper