CABINET Shake-up: Buhari Stoops To Wife's Pressure, Shuns The So-called Technocrats; Tinubu, Atiku's Men On Radar As Kyari, Babachir Stay

By NewsDirect

President Muhammadu Buhari is set to make major changes in his cabinet as the President has decided to favour politicians who assisted him during presidential election campaign,  a source told Nigerian NewsDirect.

The President who returned to the country last Friday after 49 days of medical vacation in London is under intense pressure from his party to compensate loyal party members who were victimized, harassed and spent heavily during the presidential election but had been left in the cold since the president assumed power while only few cliques had been enjoying “dividends of the victory”.

Findings by our correspondent revealed that the President might yield to the pressure by some powerful politicians in the party to compensate them for their roles in the last election.

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Leading this campaign is the wife of the President, Mrs Aishat Buhari who had warned that her support for her husband for 2019 election rested on her husband’s readiness to shake up his government.

Aisha Buhari who spoke in a controversial interview with BBC Hausa service claimed then that Buhari’s government was hijacked by a cabal who is “behind presidential appointments”.

The First Lady had lamented that most of the officials of the government were known to the President and the first family, adding that they were usurpers who did nothing to help All Progressives Congress (APC) struggle in 2015.

Mrs Aisha Buhari posited “the President does not know 45 out of 50, for example, of the people he appointed and I don’t know them either despite being his wife for 27 years.”

She further revealed “some people are sitting down at their homes folding their arms only for them to be called to come and head an agency or ministerial position”.

Mrs Buhari claimed that “some of them don’t even have voter cards, and those who made sacrifice have been reduced to nothing and certainly not happy with the way things are going ’.

“None of the technocrats brought into the government has been spectacular so far, therefore it does not make real sense for all those who laboured and toiled to install the President to be left in the cold while those who did nothing and will do nothing to return the president to power in case he decides to recontest in 2019”

Furthermore, there is growing disquiet in the party about the President’s attitude to the welfare of the party members especially those who stood stoutly by him during the election” the source told Nigerian NewsDirect.

Nigerian NewsDirect learnt that the three major political blocks that formed APC will be considered in the cabinet reshuffle. They are, the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) led by Buhari , Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu  and New PDP led by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

In the meantime, credible sources in the presidency told Nigerian NewsDirect that speculation that the President would sack his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the Secretary to the Federal Government, Babachir Lawal is untrue.

“The President is happy with  role  played by the two men while he was away. They made the system to be working and  Prof Yemi Osinbajo who acted while the President was away did not have any confrontation with the two, they represented the President well and managed the situation well alongside Osinbajo”

“We know those peddling the rumour but it’s too petty for the President to consider” Nigerian NewsDirect learnt.

On the removal of one of the key ministries of Power, Housing and Works from portfolio of Mr Raji Fashola, a close aide of Fashola told Nigerian NewsDirect that we know those sponsoring the news, its nothing new, they have been saying that since October last year but we are not bothered. When the President returned, he praised Osinbajo, he praised Fashola as well.

Panic In FEC As Buhari Return From UK With List Of Reshuffled Cabinet ...To Sack Ministers, Aides With Poor Performance

Indication emerged yesterday that President Muhammadu Buhari had resolved from the United Kingdom, where he was for 51 days for medical vacation to tinker with the composition of the Federal Executive Council, report according to Saturday Sun suggests

The alleged cabinet shake-up had created palpable fear among the Ministers and some aides.

According to The Sun Newspaper, President Buhari had, during the meeting with the Federal Executive Council (FEC) members, shortly after he arrived Abuja in a chopper, which flew him from Kaduna NAF base, where his aircraft first touched down, said that: “I deliberately came back towards the weekend, so that the Vice President will continue and I will continue to rest”.

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The clarification came as indications emerged that some of the present ministers and political appointees may go in a likely cabinet reshuffle set to be one of the first major actions President Buhari will take on settling down to duty.

It was learnt that the president has resolved to tinker with the FEC, as impeccable sources said, to remove “dead woods”, who have lost relevance or have not contributed meaningfully to his administration’s drive to deliver on its electoral promises.

It was learnt according to Saturday Sun that the period of rest had enabled the president to appraise the performance of his government vis a vis the individual contributions of his ministers and other appointees in their respective portfolios and has thus decided to replace some of them. 

However, details of those to be affected are still being kept close to the president’s chest.

It was also gathered that Buhari would review his relationship with some of his political allies, “who took advantage of his long absence to redefine the political agenda along personal selfish interests.”

The Presidency, also, in series of tweets on its twitter handle @DigiCommsNG, described as taking out of context, reports that President Buhari has said he would continue to rest while Vice President Yemi Osinbajo continues to act.

Cabals Move To Stall Looming CABINET SHAKE-UP As Buhari Pencils Down 10 Ministers For SACK, Fashola, Others Affected

Following reports that the Presidency was getting ready to announce a major cabinet reshuffle in the New Year, it has emerged that some forces have initiated moves aimed at stalling the plan.

Sources in the polity confirmed that immediately reports emanated that the Presidency had hinted the National Assembly of a possibility of cabinet reshuffle this January, some forces went to work with the sole aim of frustrating the plan.

It was learnt that emissaries started making moves around the power base to sell an idea aimed at postponing the cabinet change agenda.

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At least 10 ministers were said to have been penciled in for change as the government of President Muhammadu Buhari was said to be looking for “more dynamic persons who can help push things through in certain sectors.”

Multiple sources confirmed that the lobbyists seeking a postponement of the cabinet change were sending emissaries to the president to put off the plan till May, when his administration would clock two years in office.

It was learnt that the lobbyists were arguing that the president needed to allow the ministers stay a bit longer till the second anniversary of his government.

Sources said the lobbyists were of the view that since the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, who is set to resume at the United Nations (UN) would not leave the government till February, the president could hold on till the end of February.

It was also gathered that some forces were of the view that to stave off the pressure for cabinet change, the president could name the nominee from Kogi and Gombe states to replace the late James Ocholi, who died in March 2016 and Amina Mohammed, who is set to resume at the UN as Deputy Secretary General.

The development is coming on the heels of further investigation which indicated that the government might have gone far with the planned reshuffle and that the names of prospective candidates were already being examined at the right quarters.

It also emerged that the government was already considering a substantive ministerial slot for Ondo State, which joined the league of states controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the result of the November 26 governorship election.

Sources said part of the cabinet change was the plan to reduce the workload of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, who might be asked to drop one of the ministries to be ceded to the Ondo nominee.

“The government is of the view that the workload of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing should be reduced to ensure efficiency and focus.

“The thinking is also informed by the fact that with the coming of Ondo State into the APC fold in the South-West, the ministerial nominee from the state will now head a substantive ministry,” a source  said.

Besides, it was confirmed that two senatorial districts of Kogi were already at a loggerheads over who picks the vacant ministerial slot, with Kogi West and Kogi East in intense battle.

Sources stated that with the Central senatorial district occupying the governorship seat, Kogi West and East were now struggling to secure the slot.

No fewer than five names from the two Kogi senatorial districts had been linked to the top job, sources confirmed on Monday.

A source mentioned some of the names already linked to the ministerial slot from Kogi East as including Senator Emmanuel Dangana and Mr Edward Onoja.

It was also gathered that a former running mate to the late governorship candidate of the party in the November 2015 election in Kogi, Honourable James Faleke, was also being linked to the ministerial slot.

Also being linked to the vacant ministerial slot were a former acting governor of the state, who was also a former speaker, Honourable Clarence Olafemi, as well as the senatorial chairman for the party in Kogi West, Chief Gbenga Ashagun.

LEAKED: Buhari Cabinet Reshuffled List; Oshiomhole To Takeover Works & Housing, Ngige, Onu Jostle SGF, Kingibe, Silva, Others Penciled

New Telegraph - Against the backdrop of expectations that President Muhammadu Buhari would rejig his cabinet any time soon, intense lobbying and high wire intrigues may have put him at the crossroads, New Telegraph gathered over the weekend.

A reliable source at the Presidency confided in our correspondent that reports about an impending cabinet reshuffle was true. Another source, who is a minister, confirmed that the president will drop some of his ministers and aides, especially “those who have been found wanting.”

The source disclosed that the level of power play and lobby amongst serving and potential ministers appear to have created more power cartels within the seat of power.

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Powerful northern traditional rulers are said to have been enlisted in the lobby game.

Apart from filling the vacancy created by the death of Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barr. James Ocholi, and the impending exit of Minister of Environment, Ms Amina Mohammed, who has been appointed as Deputy General Secretary of the United Nations, some ministers are expected to be dropped from the cabinet.

“Maybe, the story was not well timed. Soon after it broke that the president was considering replacing some ministers, the lobby commenced, but it got intensified between Christmas and the New Year period with a lot of powerful forces putting in a word or two for their preferred choices.

“This has actually created some hurdles for the man (president) because who do you please and reject in the process? You can imagine an influential traditional ruler from the North approaching you on behalf of a loyal All Progressives Congress (APC) man, not an outsider, and there are other contending political forces too.

“The man is bound to be more careful and may delay whatever he wants to do under the prevailing circumstances so that it could come as a surprise and taken away from the current lobby tide,” he said.

New Telegraph gathered that retired diplomat and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Ambassador Babagana Kingibe was being considered to return to the Presidency. Curiously, Kingibe is among those secretly saddled with the responsibility of ‘suggesting possible inputs’ into the cabinet.

In his new discrete role, Kingibe has reportedly suggested that immediate past governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole be drafted in just as he tipped former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Timi Alaibe to come board.

It is yet to be officially confirmed, but while Oshiomhole is being tipped to man an envisioned Works and Housing Ministry, Alaibe’s possible inclusion is coming on the heels of his strong ties with stakeholders in the troubled Niger Delta. Both Kingibe and Alaibe have been close allies since the days of the late president, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua while the former SGF supervised the NDDC under Alaibe.

Alaibe’s inroad is also being propelled by the Transportation Minister, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi. The former NDDC boss and pioneer head of the Presidential Amnesty Programme is likely to contend with the former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva, whose nominee, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri is also being considered to move to the Niger Delta Ministry from Agriculture as minister of state.

The current occupier, Pastor Usani Uguru may be saddled with the Labour and Productivity Ministry if the new arrangement is accepted by the president.

By implication, Mr. Babatunde Fashola may be left with the Power Ministry. Sources said that Fashola has, of recent, come under heavy scrutiny by some close allies of the president, who believed that the three ministries tucked under his arm were too much for one man.

It was also learnt that some forces within the APC believe that Fashola has not delivered on any of the fronts in any of the ministries. Senator Hadi Sirika, current Minister of State for Aviation, may emerge as substantive minister as it has been proposed that the sector stands distinct from Transportation.

It could, however, not be confirmed if Sirika’s constant rift with Transportation Minister, Amaechi, is responsible for the new thinking. But far more interesting is the reported move by the president’s unofficial handlers to ensure that the position of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) is shifted from the North-East to the South-East.

An unnamed governor from the North-West is the arrowhead of this plot to what a source called ”the need to placate the Igbo ahead of 2019.” It was further learnt that the move to take the SGF to the South-East is also aimed at galvanising some support for the APC in the zone.

An APC chieftain in the South-East said: “You know that the South-West, for obvious reasons, might not be game for the APC in 2019. The party might need  to move into another area to exert influence if it must remain in power.”

Buoyed by this calculation, Science and Technology Minister, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and his Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige are lobbying to clinch the position.

But also in contention for the same position, although not from the South-East, is Chief Audu Ogbeh, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister. But a serving minister in the Buhari cabinet said that Buhari has a mind of his own and is not usually influenced by sentiments.

According to him, “You will be shocked at what he will do this year. Just watch and see. It might be sooner than you think.”