President Bola Tinubu is poised to reshuffle his cabinet in the coming days, indicating that this may occur before Nigeria's Independence Day on October 1st. Bayo Onanuga, the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, confirmed this during Wednesday's press briefing at the State House in Abuja.
“The President has expressed his desire to reshape his cabinet,” Onanuga stated. While he emphasized that no specific timeline has been set, he reiterated the certainty of a forthcoming reshuffle.
The anticipated changes may involve the removal of some ministers and potential reassignments to different ministries. Onanuga highlighted that during the recent Federal Executive Council meeting, President Tinubu urged ministers to actively promote their achievements to the public, noting a perceived disconnect between the government’s efforts and public awareness.
“Some ministers have been media-shy,” Onanuga remarked, stressing the importance of communication in demonstrating the administration's accomplishments. “The public feels that the government is not doing enough, but we have been actively working on numerous initiatives. It is crucial for ministers to share what their ministries are achieving.”
Since the appointment of ministers in August 2023, President Tinubu has one of the largest Federal Executive Councils in Nigeria's Fourth Republic, comprising 45 ministers. However, the confirmation process for three nominees, including former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, was unsuccessful due to security clearance issues.
The cabinet reshuffle comes amid rising concerns regarding the high cost of governance and public dissatisfaction with the administration's perceived performance. As details surrounding the reshuffle remain unclear, it is anticipated that the President will seek to align his cabinet more closely with his governance agenda.
