Politics

Ministers’ Sack: Just Not Enough

Published

4 years ago

September 13, 2021

Just when Nigerians have largely given up and merely marking time for the present Federal Government to roll up its acts in the next one year and eight months or so, the President, Muhammadu Buhari, emerged from the blues to relieve two cabinet ministers of their appointment, last week.
Addressing the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, President Buhari gave a synoptic overview of the aspirations of his administration, especially since August, 2019 and how desirous he was to bequeath legacy achievements by the terminal date of the government.
To this end, he said, he had decided to respond to identified weaknesses and strengths in his government with a view to making positive impact in the existential condition of Nigerians.
“Accordingly, a few cabinet changes, marking the beginning of a continuous process, have been approved,” he said, adding that Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and his counterpart in the Ministry of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman would be marking “their last participation in the Federal Executive Council deliberations”.
“Two years and some months into the second term, the tradition of subjecting our projects and programme implementation to independent and critical self-review has taken firm roots through sector Reporting during cabinet meetings and Retreats.
“These significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians”, he said, declaring that “As we are all aware, change is the only factor that is constant in every human endeavour and as this administration approaches its critical phase in the second term, I have found it essential to reinvigorate this cabinet in a manner that will deepen its capacity to consolidate legacy achievements.”
In an attempt to explain the president’s action, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity said on national television that “The president must have what he wants to achieve in those two areas within the 20 months left in government and maybe that is why he did what he did. But it was by no means a red card on their performance”.
He, however, admitted that the spheres of supervision of the sacked ministers could not have been without need for improvement and revamping.
“Matter of fact is that the President said he had reviewed the performance of the cabinet and needed to reinvigorate for the last run. He said he wanted to consolidate on legacy performance and projects”, the presidential spokesman emphasised, adding that “If you look at the nine priority areas, you will see that, as much as the ministers did, in my own esteem, there are areas of improvement in those two sectors.”
After more than six years in office, and with less than two years to breast the tape in May, 2023, not a few Nigerians are impressed that the president is suddenly waking up to the need to rework his machinery to deliver governance that addresses the fundamental needs of the people.
They say it probably took the president this long to realise what he should have done years ago because he had not seemed to be sufficiently bothered about improving the quality of life of the Nigerian masses.
Nigerians, over the years, have had to endure a president who had not only been seen to be aloof, indifferent and non-challant but had also not demonstrated sufficient sensitivity to their socio-economic emasculation as their lives progressively deteriorated.
The feeling among Nigerians is that the targeting of only two ministers on the basis of performance or non-performance is not only diversionary but an exercise that is too fickle, feeble and not intended to achieve any results that could change the calamitous circumstances of the majority of our countrymen that are daily buffeted and broken by poverty, hunger, disease and insecurity.
“After six years of weak performance by his government, President Buhari has reportedly fired two Ministers (Agriculture and Power) who, presumably in his judgement deserved to go. It’s the correct decision but very late in the day,” said Kingsley Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and former presidential candidate of Young Progressive Party (YPP) in the 2019 general elections.
In its own reaction, the main opposition party in the country, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the president’s action as “a ludicrous and ineffective attempt to cover for his failures in office”.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodinya, the PDP said “the manifest inefficiency of the Buhari administration is a product of the President’s myopic and divisive approach to governance, as well as the impunity and corruption deeply imbedded in his administration and party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.
The PDP said it was its considered opinion that the president must have had other motives for sacking the ministers apart from the ones expressed by the presidency, adding that Nigerians were not swayed by the action, but could scarcely wait for 2023 to show the Aso Rock Villa occupant and his party out of power.
Stakeholders in the agricultural sector while hailing the president for the action said the minister should have been let go much earlier, noting that the sector had not performed well in the past 10 years.
Describing the performance of Nanono as selfish, dishonourable and below average, the Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano State, Mr Abdulra-sheed Magaji said “He handled the ministry like a personal outfit unprofessionally”.
According to Mr Rotimi Oloye, former president of Catfish and allied Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFFAN), “The man was a colossal failure on his assignment. He was a mismatch for the big job. He was all about his private agenda and vendetta,” noting that he messed up all efforts of the government through his biased relationship with stakeholders.
National President of Agriculture Bureau Association, Suleiman Dikwa pointed out that recent data ranked Nigeria fifth in the world on the food affordability index while another report showed that about $6.7 billion is lost annually to poor post-harvest handling.
Dikwa lamented that most of the funds and farm inputs did not get to the farmers because they were allegedly cornered by politicians who have connections at CBN.
“He has not shown any leadership in the sector. He did not show the capacity to drive up the performance of the agencies and entities in the market”, was the assessment of Dr Sam Amadi, former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on the sacking of Engr. Mamman, submitting that the minister “basically failed “ and had a “woeful” performance.
However, in the view of the civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), Engr. Mamman and Nanono are not the only ministers that should have been shown the way out on account of equally dismal execution of their assignments.
The National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko said those also deserving of the big stick of the president include the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, his Defence Counterpart, as well as the National Security Adviser (NSA).
“The NSA should have been sacked about two years ago. The country has never had it so bad in terms of security threats”, he said.
Other ministers that have had Nigerians openly demanding for their ouster from office include Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health for their handling of the protracted industrial crisis in the health sector.
“I want to ask Nigerians to tell those that are the cause of the strike and have not done their work, that they should be sacked or resign from the positions they hold”, the President of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi said.
There is no denying the fact that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has not lived up to its promise to Nigerians in the overall. The President must therefore go beyond just cabinet reshuffle, no matter the scale, (and there many who believe that the entire cabinet should have been removed) wake up from his reverie to the fact that the only way he could avoid ending up a failure (as he fears) is to jettison ethno-political and sundry considerations in favour of integrity, competence and capacity to deliver in the remaining part of his administration.

By: Opaka Dokubo

Politics

Tinubu Swears In New INEC Chairman

Published

5 days ago

October 24, 2025

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday in Abuja, swore in the sixth substantive chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN).

At the ceremony held at the State House Council Chamber, President Tinubu urged the new INEC Chairman to serve with integrity and beyond reproach.

“Your nomination and the subsequent confirmation by the Senate are a testament to your capacity and the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and the legislative arms of government.

“This significant achievement marks the beginning of a challenging, yet rewarding journey, and I trust that you will approach your responsibility with the highest level of integrity, dedication and patriotism,” the President said.

President Tinubu noted that the country had been on a path of democratic governance and learning since 1999, with notable achievements in the strengthening of various institutions.

“Our democracy has come a long way in 25 years. We have consolidated and strengthened our democratic institutions, particularly in electoral systems, through innovations and reforms.

“We have learned a great deal along the way and have improved significantly from where we were many years ago. We must now remain committed to the principles that underpin democracy in a complex and multifaceted society.

“The electoral process is a vital part of a democracy that grants the people the exclusive right to choose their leaders and shape their future. To ensure that our democracy continues to flourish, the integrity of our electoral process must be beyond reproach,” he added.

President Tinubu stated that the governorship election on November 8, 2025, in Anambra State will serve as a litmus test for the new leadership of the electoral commission.

“It is important that our elections are free, fair and credible. We must consistently improve our electoral process, addressing the challenges of yesterday and innovating for today and tomorrow.

“To maintain public trust in the election, electoral integrity must be protected. All aspects of the process – from registration to campaigning, the media access, voting and counting should be transparent, non–violent and credible.

“No electoral system is flawless, but since elections are vital to a nation’s future, it is essential to continually strengthen electoral institutions, ensuring that they are robust, resilient and safeguarded against artificial setback.

“I therefore charge you, Prof Amupitan, as you take on this important assignment to protect the integrity of our electoral process and strengthen the institutional capacity of INEC.

The swearing-in ceremony follows the Senate’s confirmation of the INEC Chairman’s nomination on October 16.

Amupitan succeeds Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as INEC Chairman ran from 2015 to 2025.

The 58-year-old academic outlined his plans to reform Nigeria’s electoral system, strengthen institutional independence, and rebuild public trust in the commission at the screening.

The new INEC Chairman will assume office immediately.

Politics

Reps Ask FG To Curb Arbitrary Rent Hike Nationwide

Published

5 days ago

October 24, 2025

The Tide

The House of Representatives yesterday urged the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, to take urgent and decisive measures to curb the growing trend of arbitrary rent increases across the country.

The House, which described incessant rent increment as exploitative and detrimental to citizens’ welfare, took the resolution following the adoption of a motion on notice at Thursday’s plenary, sponsored by the member representing Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency, Cross River State, Bassey Akiba.

Recall that in May 2024, the House passed a similar resolution sponsored by Emmanuel Udo (PDP, Akwa Ibom), calling for rent control and landlords’ regulation within the Federal Capital Territory.

Udo’s motion advocated monthly rent payments and directed the House Committee on the FCT to propose measures to address excessive, reckless increments in rent by landlords.

Across the country, there are reports of a hike in rents, particularly in areas witnessing new government infrastructural projects such as roads and markets.

In the FCT, rents in some neighbourhoods have jumped from ?800,000 to ?2.5 million annually, for a two-bedroom flat; a development that has plunged many Nigerians into economic distress.

Akiba, while drumming support for the bill, argued that “The rise in the cost of living has made it increasingly difficult for families and businesses to meet rental obligations,” warning that “Unregulated rent increments threaten stability in the housing sector.”

While acknowledging landlords’ rights, he noted that tenants’ welfare must be equally protected to ensure fairness and economic balance.

Referencing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the lawmaker reminded his colleagues that the welfare and security of citizens constitute the primary responsibility of government.

He also cited the United Nations Habitat Agenda, which emphasises access to adequate and affordable housing as a basic human right.

Lawmakers present at the plenary voted in support of the motion when it was put to a voice vote by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session.

Consequently, the House urged the Federal Government to “Intensify efforts toward providing affordable housing schemes to ease pressure on the rental market and expand access to low-cost homes.”

It also directed the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to “Collaborate with state governments in implementing effective rent control policies, ensuring that public infrastructure development does not trigger unjustified rent escalations.”

The House also recommended that any rent review should not exceed 20 per cent of the existing rate, regardless of improvements in facilities.

Furthermore, the House mandated its Committee on Housing and Habitat to ensure compliance and submit a report within four weeks for further legislative action.

News

New INEC Chair Pledges Free, Fair, Credible Polls

Published

5 days ago

October 24, 2025

The Tide

The newly sworn-in Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has vowed to restore credibility and public confidence in the country’s electoral system, declaring his appointment as a “divine” call to serve the nation.

Speaking shortly after his inauguration by the President at the State House yesterday, Amupitan declared that his mission was clear — to deliver free, fair, and credible elections while deepening democratic values across the nation.

During his first official meeting with the commission’s directors, he stressed that achieving INEC’s mandate would hinge on teamwork, discipline, and integrity within the institution.

“Our mandate is clear, and what is it? To deliver free, fair, and credible elections that reflect the will of the Nigerian people. To achieve this, we must work together as a team,” he stated.

Addressing INEC staff and directors, the don pledged to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

“As we mark the beginning of the new chapter, I want to assure you of my commitment to upholding the highest standard of integrity, transparency, and discipline in all our operations,” he said.

Turning his attention to the upcoming Anambra State governorship election, the INEC chairman described it as a defining moment for the commission.

“The upcoming Anambra state governorship election is not just another electoral exercise. It represents a pivot opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment to free, fair, and credible elections,” he declared.

“The eyes of the nation are upon us, and it is our duty to rise to that occasion.

“Credibility in our election is paramount, and we must ensure that every voter feels confident that their vote will count. Because that is a constitutional task. And let’s restore back the confidence of every voter that whenever there is an election, their vote will count,” Amupitan added.

The don also made staff welfare a central part of his agenda, acknowledging that the commission’s workforce plays a vital role in ensuring credible elections.

“For me, staff welfare is going to be my priority. We are going to be expecting so much from you, so your welfare is going to be a priority.

“We’ll work assiduously and tirelessly to ensure that our working conditions are conducive and that our staff are equipped with the necessary resources to excel,” the INEC chairman assured.

The chairman, accompanied by his wife, children, and senior officials from the University of Jos, expressed gratitude to his academic colleagues who celebrated his appointment.

“I was told that the whole university got shut down out of excitement. One of theirs is now given this very heckling and important responsibility of heading this commission at this time,” he said.

Despite the weight of his new responsibilities, he said he was ready for the challenge.

“The places I’ve gone to, including some national commissioners, they were saying, I don’t envy you. But let me say that I am excited about the journey ahead.

“Together, let us uphold the values of democracy and work tirelessly for the credibility of our elections,” the don said.

He concluded his remarks on a reflective note, describing his appointment as part of a divine plan.

“Maybe if I had a choice, I would say I would not come here. But from all the indications, I could see that God is moving in this country, and my coming is divine.

“If God says go, who are you to say I’m not going? I’m here because I have a role to play to ensure that a new Nigeria is born. And of course, you know, INEC has a very, very important role to play in this quest.

“God bless you all, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he concluded.