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| President Bola Ahmed Tinubu |
Tinubu Under Pressure- Reshuffle Cabinet Amid Criticism of Underperforming Ministers
President Bola Tinubu is reportedly planning a major cabinet reshuffle amid growing concerns over the performance of several ministers. This move comes as the President faces increasing pressure from both within his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and from the public, who have expressed dissatisfaction with the current administration's ability to deliver on its promises.
The Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Debo Adeniran, has been particularly vocal, asserting that less than 15 of Tinubu's ministers have met the expectations of Nigerians. Adeniran has urged the President to take decisive action by weeding out underperforming ministers and merging ministries and agencies that perform similar functions to streamline governance and reduce costs.
Adeniran criticized some of Tinubu's appointments as "jobs for the boys," indicating that several ministers were appointed based on political connections rather than competence. He specifically called for the removal of several key ministers, including the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; the Minister of Health, Muhammad Pate; the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo; the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali; and the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.
“Most of the ministers are not performing; they are just noise makers and seem not to understand the job they have been appointed to do,” Adeniran said. “The President needs to weed out more than two-thirds 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."
Adeniran further argued that keeping the current underperforming ministers would only hinder the President’s ability to achieve his mission in office. He emphasized that a more streamlined cabinet, with fewer but more competent ministers, would lead to better focus and improved governance.
The pressure on Tinubu has been mounting, with sources close to the President revealing that a cabinet reshuffle is imminent. A senior source disclosed that while some ministers would be dismissed, others might be reassigned to different ministries to enhance effectiveness. The source also noted that Tinubu is now prioritizing capacity and competence in his cabinet, aiming to bring in individuals who can add real value to his administration.
"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," the source stated.
Another insider mentioned that Tinubu’s close associates agree on the need for a stronger cabinet to effectively implement his policies. This sentiment was echoed in a recent editorial by the Financial Times, which criticized the current administration for having a weak cabinet that could undermine the President's bold reforms.
The editorial suggested that while Tinubu has initiated important reforms, the lack of effective cabinet members has made it difficult to deliver on those promises. "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," the source added.
As the President prepares to make significant changes to his cabinet, the public and political observers will be watching closely to see whether these adjustments will lead to more effective governance and a stronger push toward achieving the administration's goals.
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