In a significant cabinet reshuffle, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has relieved several ministers of their duties following a performance review influenced by public perception.
Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, explained that this decision stemmed from a thorough assessment conducted by Hadiza Bala Usman, the President’s Social Adviser on Policy.
In an interview on AriseTv, Onanuga emphasized that the appraisal process was taken seriously and had been part of the President’s strategy since the ministers took office last year. He recalled that during the swearing-in ceremony in August 2023, President Tinubu made it clear he had the authority to hire and fire ministers and would not hesitate to act against those who did not meet expectations.
This message was reiterated during a ministerial retreat in October 2023, where the President affirmed his commitment to regularly reviewing cabinet performance.
Hadiza Bala Usman was tasked with overseeing the performance evaluation, which involved gathering public feedback on the ministers’ effectiveness. A technology-driven approach allowed Nigerians to score the ministers based on their performance.
“Hadiza incorporated technology, asking Nigerians to rate the ministers,” Onanuga explained. “The results were grounded in empirical data and public perception, leading the President to act on those findings.”
As a result of this review, several ministers were dismissed, including Prof. Tahir Mamman (Education), Uju Kennedy Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Mohammed Gwarzo (State for Housing), Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), and the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, who has since been replaced.
This cabinet reshuffle reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to fulfilling his administration’s promises to Nigerians and advancing progress in key governance areas.
