In a kind of reprisal fight, President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly resolved to sack the Minister of Women Affair, Hajia Aisha Alhassan among other ministers in a major cabinet rejig, News Punch has learned.
The rejig, which would see some ministers booted out of the federal cabinet according to Daily Post may be effected at the Wednesday Federal Executive Council meeting
This may not be unconnected with the recent declaration by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan (Mama Taraba) that her loyalty lies with her “godfather” and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku Abubakar had yesterday in his reaction backed the comments by Mama Taraba.
Atiku, who recently said he was sidelined by the party after the 2015 general elections, said Alhassan’s declaration “couldn’t have been said any better”.
Atiku insisted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a coalition and that appointees have the right to keep their allegiance with whosoever they please.
Atiku, recently elevated to the Waziri of Adamawa, disclosed that even other Ministers in the cabinet have different views and opinions as regard the 2019 presidential election.
But indications emerged at the weekend that Buhari may strike back in a few days.
Although the president was said to have been contemplating a rejig of his cabinet, the “outright sack of ministers was in doubt”, a reliable source told our correspondent.
“You know PMB has not really been in the country this year; he might have reshuffled before now. But recent episodes have raised the question of how much appointees are committed to their job.
“But with the declaration by Mama Taraba, the president is likely to remove those he feels have underperformed as well as those who are not loyal.
“It is not really a hard task for him. He appointed all the security heads, so all he needs to do is give directive for reports of movements, meetings and calls made by his appointees”.
Calls to presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, went unanswered.
However, presidential adviser on political matters, Femi Ojudu, our source that he was not aware of any planned reshuffle.
“My brother I know nothing about that. I left Abuja four days ago. I am in Ekiti as I speak and will be back on Tuesday.
“If some people are saying that, I cannot confirm. So right now, I have no information about the soeculation. I will be back on Tuesday, we can talk again then”.
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