The announcement of President Bola Tinubu’s intention to reshuffle his ministerial cabinet is unnecessary as it could create anxiety among investors, development partners as well as members of his administration.
Development Diaries reports that the Special Advisor to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, recently revealed the president’s intention to reshuffle his cabinet.
And ahead of the planned reshuffling of the cabinet, a number of ministers and their political godfathers have begun lobbying to remain in office, according to a report by Punch.
The decision of President Tinubu to reshuffle his cabinet is one that Nigerians expect of him but there is no need for it to be pre-announced to avoid unnecessary anxiety among critical stakeholers.
It must be reiterated that one year has passed since the president inaugurated his cabinet, but Nigerians are extremely dissatisfied with the administration’s performance.
In a recent survey conducted by the African Polling Institute (API), 84 percent of Nigerians surveyed said they were extremely saddened by the way things are going in the nation.
Also, the survey revealed that 68 percent of respondents believed that none of the cabinet members had done well since being appointed.
This is an indication that a cabinet reshuffle is urgently needed to make room for performing ministers in the economy.
This is the more reason why the decision to announce an impending cabinet reshuffle raises concerns, as it provides room for unnecessary political maneuvering.
This delay distracts from the real issue, which is addressing the urgent need for competent and effective leadership in key ministerial positions.
The current administration is faced with several critical national challenges, including economic instability, rising insecurity, and governance lapses, all of which demand decisive action from the president – and cabinet reschufulling should be executed quitely.
A cabinet reshuffle should not be treated as a political strategy but as a necessary measure to boost the administration’s performance.
It is imperative that President Tinubu acts with urgency in addressing the inefficiencies within his cabinet. Ministers who have failed to deliver on their mandates should be relieved of their duties without the luxury of time or room for lobbying.
The sooner the president makes these decisions, the quicker his administration can refocus on the country’s development agenda.
Also, nothing has been said about the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, as the president has not given a clear update on Edu’s status – whether it is a continuation of the suspension or her reinstatement.
Recall that the 2024 quarter-one assessment report by the President’s Special Advisor on Policy Coordination and the Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU) revealed that all the ministers performed below par in terms of deliverables except the trio of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, and Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
In light of this, Development Diaries calls on President Tinubu not to waste time dismissing underperforming ministers and appointing individuals with the experience, expertise, and commitment to effect positive change.
The Nigerian people deserve a government that prioritises efficiency and accountability above political maneuvering.
