President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is using his annual vacation to reassess his cabinet, compiling a list of ministers to exit and new members to join, according to competent sources within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Mr. President is spending his leave to put together a list of the ministers that will work with him, but he is also taking his time to weed out those who are not performing among his cabinet as presently constituted,” one of the sources noted.
APC stakeholders have been urging Tinubu to remove underperforming ministers since receiving their performance scorecard from Special Adviser Hadiza Bala-Usman. Vice President Kashim Shettima reportedly advised Tinubu to sack non-performing ministers and board chairmen to improve the image of the present government.
There have been speculations about a rift in the presidency due to the delayed cabinet reshuffle. However, this has been dismissed by Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga as “beer parlour” rumours.
Onanuga stated that the president will perform the reshuffle at the time he deems fit and proper.
“The president will make a public announcement regarding the (the reshuffle) exercise at the appropriate time that he deems proper and right,” he said.
Other sources also commented on the issue as well as the alleged discord between Tinubu and Shettima.
A source said, “But where are you people getting this from? You’re here; have you seen any indication of any disagreement between the President and his Vice?
“The Vice President has been an epitome of loyalty to the President. He has been at the forefront in pushing the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President. So, I wonder how the issue of cabinet reshuffle, which is the sole responsibility of the President, will now be a problem. Discard it. It’s the figment of the imagination of those sponsoring the rumour.”
Another source, equally anonymous, said: “Politicians will always be looking for ways of creating problems even where there is none. Many political figures may not be comfortable with the relationship between the President and his Vice ahead of 2027 elections. They will be looking for ways to put a wedge. I think that’s what is happening.
“Everyone can see that the Vice President has been upbeat in discharging his responsibilities. He has been loyal and has been representing his boss at different fora. So, I don’t think that the delay in cabinet reshuffle is anything to even talk about here. “It’s the prerogative of the President to hire and fire anyone in his cabinet at any time he so wishes. Don’t be deceived by the rumour: it’s coming from the enemies of progress. That’s their stock in trade. They always sow seeds of discord to cause distraction.”