Politics
Fear grips Ministers as Tinubu moves to reshuffle cabinet
Strong indications have emerged that President Bola Tinubu is planning to rejig his cabinet to ease out underperforming ministers.
Tinubu has been facing increasing pressure from within and outside his party, the All Progressives Congress, to sack ministers some of whom appeared to have been inactive.
The President had last year set up the Result and Delivery Unit, headed by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Mrs Hadiza Bala-Usman, to measure the performance of ministers and other top government officials serving in his administration. He warned that any minister or aide that underperformed would be sacked.
Last week, Tinubu replaced the directors-general of the National Intelligence Agency and the Department of State Services after the heads of the agencies resigned their appointments.
Sources in the Presidency said that a cabinet reshuffle was imminent.
The officials, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter, revealed that some ministers would be dismissed, while others would be reassigned to other ministries for improved effectiveness.
However, the sources did not disclose the ministers likely to be affected.
“What I can tell you is some (ministers) will go. A few will swap positions, then new people will be brought on board. But the President will be focused more on capacity now; on people who can easily add value to his government”, a source stated.
Another source disclosed that Tinubu’s close associates agreed that the President required a stronger cabinet to implement his policies effectively.
The source stated, “The general concern among some of his aides, friends, and even the public is that the cabinet can be far better than this. There is a consensus among his (Tinubu) close friends that he needs a stronger cabinet to push through with his policies. It is one thing to announce policies and it is another thing for your ministers to deliver the outcomes you want. Oftentimes, it is the capacity of your cabinet members and heads of agencies that determines how you will deliver on those outcomes.
“If you look at the editorial by Financial Times earlier this week, it was not palatable at all. And what they were saying is that, yes, he has taken bold decisions, the reforms are good, but he has a weak cabinet that cannot help him to deliver on those reforms. That is why it appears like we are wobbling. So, he needs to bring in people with more energy and expertise, who are more patriotic and willing to roll up their sleeves and work for Nigeria and turn things around.
“If the past one year has not been eventful, he cannot afford to waste another year. This next one year is very critical. It is the next one year that will define the government.”
‘We expect nothing good from Tinubu, APC’
Meanwhile, opposition political parties have said they are not expecting anything good from the APC-led Federal Government.
Yunusa Tanko, the campaign spokesman for a former Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said the party was more concerned with improved electoral reforms.
He said, “We are not really interested in whether Tinubu changes or sacks his ministers. One of the major areas we thought there would be an improvement in is our demand for electoral reform. If we have an improved electoral reform, it will inevitably give us a good opportunity for credible elections to take place.
“Sacking or replacing your cabinet with new people is an extension of state capture. He will only be replacing them with his loyalists which we know will be a strategy ahead of 2027. But if he is really serious about improving the performance of his governance at the moment, he can start considering reshuffling his cabinet. Quite a number of the ministers are not measuring up to expectations.”
On his part, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, Ibrahim Abdullahi, attributed the ministers’ woeful performance to Tinubu’s lack of empathy for Nigerians.
Abdullahi said, “It is not about changing the cabinet. When you acquire power through fraudulent and desperate means, it would take a million efforts, programmes, and policies to correct it because something cannot stand without a foundation. So what is the foundation of his presidency? That is the crux of the matter. As PDP, we are not expecting anything good during this period of divine grace, that God will keep him in power.”
The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Party, Peter Ameh, cautioned Tinubu against making the same mistake as his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, by keeping his ministers for eight years.
He said CUPP was not surprised by the failure of Tinubu’s ministers, adding that a responsible government would have dismissed them long ago.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, said only less than 15 ministers had met the expectations of Nigerians with their performance.
He argued that for Tinubu to succeed, he must “weed out” ministers underperforming and merge ministries and agencies performing similar functions.
He listed some of the underperforming ministers to include: the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; Minister of Health, Muhammad Pate; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo; Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali; and the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.
Adeniran described some of Tinubu’s appointments as “jobs for the boys” and called on the President to urgently implement the recommendations of the Steve Orosanye report to reduce the size and cost of government.
“Most of the ministers are not performing; they are just noise makers and they seem not to understand the job they have been appointed to do. From our assessment, few of the ministers, less than 15 of them are performing.
“The President needs to weed out more than two-third of the crowd he put together as his cabinet. If he has 48 ministers, we are saying that he should weed out a minimum of 36 of them, so that we will know those that are the performing ministers.
“If he (Tinubu) continues with these people, many of them are pulling him back on what he calls his mission in office and that is why Nigeria is in problem today. Weeding them (ministers) out will stabilise his administration more and make those that will remain to be focused. When he weeds out that two-third, he should not replace them with another, he should just merge the ministries with other ones and supervise others directly”, Adeniran said.
By Chinedu Sabastine
The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ben Nwoye, has commended political leaders and stakeholders from Enugu East Senatorial District for endorsing President Bola Tinubu and Governor Peter Mbah for second terms in office.
Nwoye, describing the move as a demonstration of political maturity and commitment to continuity.
Nwoye spoke on Saturday at Okpara Square during a gathering where stakeholders from Enugu East Senatorial District publicly declared support for the re-election of President Tinubu and Governor Mbah.
Addressing the gathering, the APC chieftain praised the district’s leaders for what he described as a visionary decision aimed at sustaining ongoing development efforts at both the federal and state levels.
“I have seen people like the former governor of old Anambra State; I have also seen the former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, and many of the founders and leaders of Enugu State here, all for the endorsement of our dear President Bola Tinubu and Governor Peter Mbah. I’m quite impressed because your presence shows political maturity,” Nwoye said.
He noted that continuity in leadership would provide the opportunity to consolidate achievements and complete projects already initiated by the two administrations.
Nwoye particularly lauded Governor Mbah for what he described as remarkable developmental strides across Enugu State, saying the governor had demonstrated commitment to transforming the state through infrastructure, economic and social development programmes.
According to him, Mbah’s performance has earned him support across political and regional divides.
The APC deputy national chairman also highlighted the importance of the governorship zoning arrangement in Enugu State, describing it as a major factor behind the peace and political stability the state has enjoyed since 1999.
“Rotation among the three senatorial districts has given us peace since 1999. It is good that this event held today, in addition to those of Enugu West and North senatorial zones, so that our people will know where we are going,” he said.
Nwoye explained that the zoning formula had ensured fairness and equitable distribution of political power among the state’s three senatorial districts, fostering unity and inclusion.
He urged political stakeholders to continue supporting the rotational arrangement, which he said had helped sustain a peaceful political atmosphere in the state.
“The stakeholders should sustain the peaceful political atmosphere in Enugu State brought to us through the zoning of the governorship position,” he added.
The endorsement event attracted political leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community representatives and supporters from across Enugu East Senatorial District, many of whom expressed confidence in the leadership of President Tinubu and Governor Mbah.
Chief Sir OAU Onyema, a senatorial aspirant for Enugu West in the 2027 elections, has announced his resignation from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), citing alleged lack of transparency, internal manipulation, and attempts by party leaders to impose candidates on the electorate.
Speaking during a media briefing, Onyema accused influential figures within the party of abandoning democratic principles by allegedly sidelining popular aspirants in favour of loyalists and personal associates.
According to him, party leaders have failed to release the results of screening exercises and purported primary elections, raising concerns that the process is being manipulated to favour preferred candidates before names are submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The former aspirant specifically alleged that a prominent political figure from Delta State was working with some NDC leaders to undermine the wishes of the people of Enugu West Senatorial District by promoting a personal aide for the senatorial ticket despite lacking grassroots political support in the district.
Onyema said such moves would be resisted through lawful and democratic means, insisting that the people of Enugu West deserve candidates with established political relevance and local acceptance.
He further claimed that efforts to integrate political structures built around Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, into the NDC were frustrated, resulting in what he described as weak and ineffective party structures at the ward level.
The politician also alleged financial irregularities within the party, including what he termed the undue collection of funds from members, though he did not provide specific evidence during the briefing.
Expressing disappointment with the party’s operations, Onyema declared that the NDC had failed to live up to expectations of transparency, fairness, and sincerity.
He vowed to work towards providing voters in Enugu West with credible alternatives ahead of the 2027 elections, regardless of political party affiliation.
“We remain committed to the ideals of justice, fairness, democracy, and the will of the people,” Onyema stated, adding that while he still believes a new Nigeria is possible, he has lost confidence in the NDC and is formally exiting the party.
He maintained that the 2027 elections would be “interesting” and expressed confidence that voters would increasingly focus on the quality of candidates rather than political party platforms.
In the now-controversial post shared on his social media page, Osborne wrote: “In a sane clime president Bola Ahmed Tinubu would’ve respectfully and honourably resigned. I’m of APC but truth be told.”
The comment quickly generated reactions online before the Akwa Ibom State Government moved to terminate his appointment.
In a letter dated June 2, 2026, the Office of the Political Adviser to the Governor announced his immediate disengagement.
The termination letter, signed by the Political Adviser to the Governor, Prince Godwin Ntuk Udeh, stated that Osborne Ubong Okon had been relieved of his duties with immediate effect.Politics
According to the letter, the decision was taken over actions the office described as disloyal.
“You are hereby relieved of your engagement as a Media Aide to the Political Adviser to His Excellency the Governor, with immediate effect and from today, 2nd June 2026,” the memo read.
The letter further cited “actions bordering on disloyalty” and the need to keep the office “purified” as reasons for the dismissal.
The office also issued a warning to members of the public and government officials regarding future dealings with the former aide.
“Any person having dealings with the above-mentioned former Media Aide in relation to this office of his former engagement does so on his/her own peril,” the statement added.
The development has sparked fresh conversations about the limits of political expression for government appointees and the expectations of loyalty within public service, particularly when comments are directed at the presidency.
Neither Osborne nor the Presidency had publicly responded to the development as of the time of filing this report.
The decision was taken during plenary on Tuesday at the Assembly complex in Dutse, the state capital, as the party continues to deal with the fallout from recent primaries.
The action comes amid a wave of suspensions across Jigawa APC following the recently conducted primary election.
Several special advisers and special assistants have already been suspended statewide over alleged anti-party activities from state level down to local government level.
Maigari, who doubles as the councillor representing Auyo Ward, was suspended after the House considered a motion by the Majority Leader, Lawan Dansure.
The motion sought disciplinary action against the lawmaker for conduct deemed harmful to party cohesion.
Moving the motion during the Assembly’s plenary session on Tuesday, Dansure urged members to support the suspension.
He said the House must act to protect the integrity of the ruling party ahead of 2027.
According to him, the actions of the Speaker of Auyo Legislative Council are detrimental to the unity, stability, and progress of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
“His actions are detrimental to the unity, stability, and progress of the All Progressives Congress,” Dansure told the House.
He argued that anti-party conduct at the grassroots level could undermine APC’s performance in future elections.
He said the House could not fold its arms while party discipline was being tested.
“Hon. Haruna Maigari is hereby suspended as Speaker of Auyo Legislative Council over alleged anti-party activities,” Dangyatin announced during plenary.
The Speaker also said the House remains committed to party discipline at all levels of governance in the state.
Dangyatin then constituted an investigative committee to look into the matter and report back within two weeks.
“The committee is expected to establish facts and recommend further action based on its findings,” he said.
The Speaker also directed the suspended lawmaker to hand over all official documents in his possession to the Deputy Speaker of Auyo Legislative Council.
He said the handover must be done immediately to ensure continuity of council business.
Meanwhile, the House also received a formal notification from Governor Umar Namadi regarding an official trip.
“The governor is billed to attend a two-day West African Rice Investment Roundtable in Accra, Ghana,” the Speaker said during the plenary session of the Assembly.
Dangyatin, who explained that the governor’s foreign engagement will hold between June 2 and June 3, 2026, added that “the governor’s participation is aimed at attracting investment to Jigawa’s rice value chain.”
By Chinedu Sabastine
Mr. Samson Chukwu Nnamani has declared that he remains the authentic governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State ahead of the 2027 election.
Nnamani made this known on Friday during a press briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Enugu.
Reacting to allegations that he was suspended from the party before the PDP governorship primary election, Nnamani dismissed the claim, questioning how a supposedly suspended aspirant could participate in the exercise and secure votes.
“The purported claim that I was suspended is very funny. If I was suspended as they claim, how can they attribute votes for me during their kangaroo primary,” Nnamani questioned.
Represented by his Media Director, Dr. Buchi Nnaji, the PDP chieftain said his authenticity derives from the present recognition of the Abdulrahman-led faction of the PDP by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), of which he is a member.
The clarification followed the emergence of multiple claimants to the PDP governorship ticket in Enugu State.
Nnamani insisted that the party was no longer factionalised following INEC’s recognition of the Abdulrahman-led PDP leadership, noting that the panel which declared him winner where sent from their headquaters, Abuja.
Nnamani expressed gratitude to PDP leaders and supporters whom he said turned out massively on Sunday, May 24, 2026, to elect him as the party’s governorship candidate.
He pledged to reposition Enugu State through infrastructure development, job creation and people-oriented policies.
“As the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Enugu State, I remain committed to the ideals of good governance, inclusive leadership, economic development, youth empowerment, quality education, improved healthcare and enhanced security for all residents,” he said.
He added that his aspiration was to build “a greater Enugu State where opportunities abound for every citizen, irrespective of political affiliation, religion or social status.”
According to him, his administration would prioritise infrastructure development, industrialisation, support for small businesses and welfare programmes aimed at improving the lives of the people.
“We shall also review and remove policies and practices that are truncating the wellbeing, economic survival and social advancement of the citizens,” he stated.
Nnamani further called on stakeholders, party faithful, youths, women, traditional rulers and the people of Enugu State to join hands in building “a united, peaceful and progressive state.”
“Together, we can achieve the Enugu of our dreams,” he added.
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