Osamagbe Imadiyi
Following a performance review influenced by public opinion, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reorganized his cabinet, removing a number of ministers from their positions.
Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Advisor on Information and Strategy, stated that Hadiza Bala Usman, the President’s Social Adviser on Policy, oversaw a thorough evaluation process that resulted in this decision. In an AriseTv interview, Onanuga clarified that the evaluation was not a casual affair and had been a component of the President’s strategy ever since the ministers were sworn in last year.
He recalled how President Tinubu made it clear during the swearing-in ceremony in August 2023 that he had the power to appoint and dismiss ministers, threatening to remove those who failed to live up to expectations. During a ministerial retreat in October 2023, the president reaffirmed this message and his commitment to regularly evaluating his cabinet’s performance.
The responsibility of managing a performance review, which included getting public input on the ministers’ work, fell to Hadiza Bala Usman. By using a technology-driven procedure, Nigerians were able to rate the ministers according to how effective they were.
“Hadiza asked Nigerians to score the ministers, bringing technology to it,” Onanuga stated. “The scorecard was created by the people who actually completed it, and the results were based on empirical facts and the public’s perception of these ministers.” Based on those findings, the President took action.
The review resulted in the removal of a number of ministers from the cabinet, including Prof. Tahir Mamman (Education), Uju Kennedy Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Mohammed Gwarzo (State for Housing), Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), and Betta Edu (Humanitarian Affairs), who was suspended but soon replaced.
President Tinubu is committed to making sure his administration fulfills its commitments to Nigerians and keeps making strides in important spheres of governance, which includes the reshuffle.
