In a significant cabinet reshuffle, President Bola Tinubu has dismissed five ministers and reassigned ten others, a move that has stirred discussions within the political landscape. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga provided insights into the process during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
On Wednesday, the presidency announced the changes following a Federal Executive Council meeting. The ministers discharged include Uju-Ken Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism; Prof. Tahir Mamman (SAN), Minister of Education; Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development; and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development.
Onanuga emphasized that the dismissals were not arbitrary but based on a performance evaluation framework. He explained that the assessment was rooted in data collected from a public scoring system set up by Hadiza Usman, the Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination. “The president did not just change his ministers whimsically,” Onanuga stated. “The change went through some procedure.”
The spokesperson elaborated on the evaluation process, noting that since a retreat last October, President Tinubu had communicated to the ministers that their performances would be assessed. Onanuga highlighted that technology played a crucial role in this evaluation, allowing Nigerian citizens to provide feedback on their ministers’ performance.
“The president acted upon the basis of what the citizens themselves made,” Onanuga added. He underscored that the feedback received contributed significantly to the final decisions made by the president regarding his cabinet.
Despite the gravity of the dismissals, Onanuga assured that the president approached the situation with respect and courtesy. “Some people said they were sacked. But the president used a milder word – discharged,” he noted, reflecting on the tone used during the private meeting before the public announcement.
According to Onanuga, President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the discharged ministers for their service and wished them well in their future endeavors.
