President Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday shocked members of the Federal Executive Council as he sacked nine members of the council.
The sacking , announced by the Minister
of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, shocked the Federal Executive Council
members, most of whom had arrived the Council Chambers in the
Presidential Villa in high spirits exchanging banter.
Before they left, deafening silence
enveloped the Council Chambers as the President reeled out the names of
the affected ministers. Some of the sacked and retained ministers
betrayed their emotions as they shed tears.
The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, announced the cabinet shake-up after the weekly FEC meeting in Abuja.
The sacked ministers are Prof.
Ruqayyatu Rufai (Education); Okon Ewa-Bassey (Science and Techology);
Olugbenga Ashiru (Foreign Affairs); Hadiza Mailafia (Environment);
Shamsudeen Usman, (National Planning); and Ama Pepple (Housing, Lands
and Urban Development).
The Minister of State for Defence,
Olusola Obada, and her counterparts in the Agriculture Ministry,
Alhaji Bukar Tijani and Power, Zainab Kuchi, were also affected.
The aides were said to have argued
that if the President decided to seek re-election in 2015, many
ministers lacked the required political clout to deliver their states.
A top Presidency source had said that
Jonathan was advised by the aides to constitute what they described as
“election cabinet.”
Such a cabinet, according to a source,
will comprise mostly people that would be proud to defend Jonathan
whenever he was being criticised.
But Maku explained that the dropping of the ministers had no political undertone.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting, Maku, said the cabinet shake-up was with immediate effect.
He said the President, through the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, had
named the retained FEC members that would oversee the affected
ministries pending the appointment of substantive ministers to head
them.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is
to be overseen by the minisiter of State, Prof. Viola Owuliri; the
Education by the Minister of State, Nyesome Wike; and the Minister
of Solid Minerals, Musa Sada, Housing, Lands and Urban Development.
The Minister of Communications
Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, is to supervise the Science and
Technology Ministry; the Minister of State for Works, Ambassador
Bashir Yuguda, Ministry of Planning; Maku, Defence; and Minister of
Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Goodsday Orubebe, Environment Ministry.
When Maku announced that he would
oversee the Defence Ministry, State House correspondents shouted but he
pleaded with them to allow him to continue his briefing.
He then added that the Ministers of
Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina and Power, Chinedu Nebo would take care of
the duties of the sacked ministers of state in their respective
ministries.
Maku said the President expressed satisfaction with the performance of the affected ministers while in office.
He stated that Jonathan assured them
that he would call on them whenever their services were needed for the
development of the country.
The Information minister said, “These
ministers have been affected in the cabinet reshuffle and the President
in Council expressed his satisfaction and happiness over their
commitment to government since they were appointed.”
“He (the President) also thanked them
for their services to their fatherland and said he would continue to
engage them in one way or the other in the implementation of the
transformation agenda and of course in the various challenges that
government faces around the country and in terms of efforts to transform
our country.”
The minister said that the President
would soon send a list of new ministers to the National Assembly to
replace those who had been dropped.
Maku who described the cabinet shake-up as a normal process,added that it was meant to inject fresh blood into the government.
Maku said, “There is no government in
the world where the leaders do not reshuffle their cabinets, there is
none. And cabinet reshuffle is part of a systematic public
administration and I believe what the President has done is simply to
address the issues of re-tooling his government to achieve service
delivery.
“It is at the discretion of the
President at all times to reshuffle his cabinet. It is his own
prerogative under the constitution and this has nothing to do absolutely
with any other factor other than having come two years into his
administration in the last lap, what I see the President doing is to
refocus his government, to inject in fresh blood to achieve greater
service delivery to the people of Nigeria. That is the only reason for
it, any other thing has nothing to do with the decision of the
President.
“The President is trying to in reject
fresh blood into the system while retaining again the loyalty of all
those who have worked.”
A source at the meeting said the President caught the ministers unawares.
He quoted Jonathan as saying, “Some of
you will not be with us at the next Federal Executive Council meeting.
It is not because you didn’t do well, but that is the ingredients of
democracy. You will hear the details from the SGF.”
He then read out the affected names and then hurriedly left the Council chambers.
One of the retained ministers,Edem
Duke of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation was
seen dabbing his eyes intermittently with his handkerchief. The former
Minister of Environment, Mailafia, also did the same before she was
driven out of the Villa.
Before Maku’s briefing, Duke’s action made journalists think that he was one of the nine that were fired.
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This GEJ is confuse. Mtcheeeeeeeeew.
ReplyDeleteAn action long overdue. In a time like this, there is no room for political-homosexuality.
ReplyDeleteWhat is happening o
ReplyDeleteI an for Mr. Wike n Dokunbo 4 their Patriosm n honest to GEJ n congratulate dem for new portfolio. Dokunbo is nw Minister of Defence n Wike Education. Jonathan is a big Fooooooooooool
ReplyDeletewhy Rukayat? This man is TOTALLY confused...sacking the effective Minister while retaining the lazy one!
ReplyDeleteDAVID NNA AMADI.... GEJ is absolutely lost,Confused & mentally deranged...Y was d sack targed at those ministers nominated frm Rebel Govs states(aka,champion of democracy). If he survive impeachment b4 2015, he shd burry his ambition or be disgraced..
ReplyDeleteConfused indeed,
ReplyDeleteNice one Joe Baba. They have over stayed as ministers, achieving nothing.
ReplyDeleteYou guys should stop insulting the president, he has his reasons for every action he took. Only when you learn to respect your leader that you would be respected as a leader.
ReplyDeleteCarbinent reshuffle as they call....No problem b ut what beats my imagination is Wike Nnyeson who has spent more time engaging the Man who single handedly appointed him (Rotimi Ameachi) in a political fight and thurgery.) ASSU strike is now 66days old and I have not heard him make any statement let alone feel concerned over the issue even his ministry supervises it. GEJ is really a confused man.....by the time they will all get to London Prison Ibori would have been a senior inmate....Lol
ReplyDeleteThe problem with many Nigerians is that they think they know more than everyone, even their leader. They call Jonathan names, this and that, no respect yet they want the best of leadership. They think they can rule better than anyone. If he takes action, he's confused, a moron et c. If he doesn't take action, he's confused, a fool et c. Na wa! A man on the top seat has done what he thinks best to work for him, and we say not ok. Maybe we should contest elections and win so we show our 1st class leadership skills. But before that just zip your lips shut on GEJ. Mtcheeeew....
ReplyDeleteDon't mind them, I too know na him dey kill nigerians.
Deletegoogluk u ar killing P D P.Gej u ar still blind at dis point,we need unity, progres 4 P D P We at da grassroots u need our attension coz u ar blind in da game
DeletePls Nigerians, lets us respect our president. So that he can be respected in the world.
ReplyDeletetHIS IS D BEST PRESIDENT WE HAVE EVER HAD,SOME OF U WHO RE INSULTING UR OWN PRESIDENT FOR EVERY ACTION HE TAKES RE NOTHIN BT BIGER FOOOOOOLS.
ReplyDeletetil we Nigerians learn hw 2 co-operate wit our leaders,we ar goin nowia....if dat president GEJ is a moron,den we d citizens ar mugu n idiots
ReplyDeleteworst nigeria president ever.
ReplyDeleteYou can sack anybody but not Prof. Ruqayyat Rufai. That woman is good. She had made an impact. Anyway, I believe anytin dat happens is for a reason. I will continue to cherish your charisma Prof. Congrats for finishing well. It's Suraj
ReplyDeleteGEJ why do u leave minister of FCT his doing nothing why minister of education that woman is hard working, i can see bala use to give u return sack bala and every thing will be complete
ReplyDeleteTo all those saying negative things about your president; it is about time you guys woke up and face the reality of what is on ground. Whether you like it or not he is Mr president and has the right to change his ministers as he deems fit.The man has done no wrong except for the fact that he comes from a minority tribe and is deemed not fit to rule by those who think it is their right to rule. Now i implore each of you to name any of the politicians that are saying he is unfit to rule that has achieved anything better than he has in their own political sphere or have held office in time past and have achieved anything other than massive looting and corruption.As far as im concerned the man has not done any worse than all the past presidents we have had and in terms of abiding by the rule of law and not being dictatorial he is far above all of them put together. You can go and ask the fayoses, dariyes, alams, afolabis etc what they encountered under obj and how they were impeached. Then to the northerners claiming that they have a right to rule all i have to say is that if they had ruled properly and effectively as they should have in time past nigeria would not be in the state that it is today. they are the ones who entrenched corruption as a state practice and furthermore failed to develop their own areas (the result of which is the boko haram nemesis we are experiencing today). Nigerians wake up from your slumber and learn to stop hero worshipping your leaders because of peanuts that they are handing out to you while massively enriching themselves. s for me my 2015 vote is already cast for Gej only because i firmly believe that nigeria will truly not know peace until all the major political zones have had their share of leading the country and i say publicly here that the day an Igbo man becomes president in this country is the day we become liberated from all our past mishaps and start to move forward in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteSome of these Ministers re just there eating money without doing anything tangible, no contribution
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't like in this is "tears flow" And for what? Perhaps they have not accumulated enough to last their great, great, grandchildren lives.They all knew that one day they will leave. If their principal wins again and if they are all good, it is a maximum of 8 years. Those who cried don't have anything else to do. Of course, they will miss one of the golden I phones costing 50,000 pounds each. There will be no free anything for them again. They will now have to queue to buy diesel to fuel their generators. We will all now go through Lagos/Ibadan express!! way without any special clearance for them. No more free flight for this or for that. This is life and those that are still there laughing, should note that their time is also fast approaching. Pray that they will leave with handshakes and not through the force of the marginalized, dejected and frustrated people. Whatever has a beginning, certainly has an end.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that the president has the right to hire and fire his ministers. What I found distasteful is the way and manner he carried out the act. Why not do it with some respect and decorum. Was it necessary to be melodramatic by taking them by surprise?
ReplyDeleteAll the Ministers may be serving at the mercy of the President but it is a poor reflection on the judgment of the President if 25% of his executive is removed in one swoop. Don't forget that these same individuals were presented to the populace only two years ago as the cream of the crop. What does that tell you about the man that selected and recommended them? This is a serious sign of instability and failure to exercise proper diligence in making choices for important offices. Also the manner in which it was done is lousy, real lousy. You show up to work and you are unceremoniously informed in such an open forum that you have been sacked, no reason given. I have no personal bias towards any of the sacked individuals because I don't know much about any of them, but the process just makes you wonder why we just can't do things right.
ReplyDeleteA foolish President that sacks Ministers not because of non performance but because of selfish interest. It means there is no hope for Nigeria with him and his likes as our leaders.
ReplyDeleteApparently d people removed are those opposing GEJ or those that do not support his 2nd term bid. Our President is more concerned wt playing politics than development. Like I always say, if he works, his works will speak for him come 2015 not all these sacks and romance with people he thinks will help him get his 2015 bid.
ReplyDeleteTo serve Nigeria is not by force!
ReplyDeleteif he no act you go compalin if he act u go complain wetin man go do to satisfy man...naija na overwise dey kill us....condemination can not make us progress
ReplyDeleteThe president has d power to hire n fire. We as citizens have the power to ask why. The question is not why sack d ministers but why retain Wike, loquacious Labaran Maku& Orubebe in office? Not only retain dem but given extra responsibilities? These are people we all know dat d only value dey add to governance is just their names(if u think dats a value in d first instance). Everythings smacks of politics of survival, punishing n sacking ministers from states whose Governors are opposed to his 2015 election. Since Jonathan has seriously divided Nigeria across ethnic n religious line, did it occur to everyone/anyone that out of the 9 ministers scaked, 5 are notherners while 6 are muslims? Let him continue on d path of self destruction. Jonathan wants to be d last president of nigeria n he's seriously working towards it. God help us all.
ReplyDeleteItz only in nigeria that a foolish person like this can become a president- courtesy CAN and biased voters. We can still amend
ReplyDelete