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Ministers That Should Not Make Buhari’s New Cabinet

Published

6 years ago

June 15, 2019

Eric

By: Promise Oshewa

Months after he won his second term and weeks after his swearing in, Nigerians are still waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to name his cabinet.

From all indications, Mr President is not going to hit the ground running and all Nigerians want now is if the cabinet is eventually named, they will be first-rate Nigerians.

The former cabinet members have played their part in the last administration and we have gone to town to find out which of these Ministers they do not want to return.

While some where described as inconspicuous, others had strong name recognition but failed in terms of the assignments given.

It shocked many that some of these Ministers were not shown the door in the last four years.

The power to appoint a minister no doubt is constitutionally vested in Mr. President and the crucial responsibilities of a minister are also well stipulated in Section 148 of the 1999 Constitution but what Nigerians are saying is that he must choose the right team to help take Nigeria to the next level.

Here is a list of Ministers who from our findings performed below par and Nigerians would not want them back.

Minister of Defence -Mansur Dan-Ali

A retired General, Mansur Dan-Ali in his heart of hearts knows that he has not been outstanding as the Minister of Defence l.

If there was one thing that many Nigerians believed the Buhari government will do, it was that Nigeria will be very secure.

Unfortunately this has not been the case as there has been lapses in almost all par5s parts of the country.

If it is not Herdsmen clashing with farmers, it is bandits raiding villages or kidnappers taling over major highways like Kaduna-Abuja, Ife-Ibadan and so on.

Even the Boko Haram that the government has done a great job of dealing with are still spreading sorrow, tears and blood with their terrorist

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice -Abubakar Malami

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice should not be returned to office. He has been held responsible for the cases of disobedience of court orders by the government especially in the case of Sheikh El Zaky Zakky and Col Sambo Dasuki (Rtd).

He has also been lambasted for holding on to case files and even stopping some cases which has not gone down with many.

Adebayo Shittu (Minister for Communication)

Mr Adebayo Shittu his controversies apart has not performed in his role as Minister well.

Right from his Ministerial screening at the floor of the Senate, it was obvious that he was not going to shine.

Shittu was at sea during the MTN fine saga and hasn’t articulated a single policy to improve the sector.

Solomon Dalung (Minister of Youth and Sports)

This beret-loving Minister got one of the lowest scores in our survey.

He promised grassroots development and failed, he was busy fighting the sports associations and even became a Minister of Football with his attempt to oust NFF President Amaju Pinnick

Mr Dalung’s tenure will be remebered for bringing the country to shame with the issue of the $135,000 over payment that he refused to return giving outlandish excuses.

Proper organisation and policy formulation weren’t his thing.

Usani Usani Uguru (Minister of Niger Delta)

He’s in pole position to win the most anonymous Minister award alongside several others in Buhari’s team. Sometimes, you wonder if Usani understands the demands of his office.

Instead of facing his work which is so enormous considering the development challenges of the Niger Delta Region, he was busy playing local politics in his home state of Cross River.

His meddlesome attitude was so bad that he was suspended by the ruling APC.

Abdulrahman Dambazau (Minister of Interior):

Like his counterpart in Defence, he has not performed well despite being a former General. The security situation has been his greatest albatross and it seems he has run out of ideas.

He is one of those Ministers that needed to lose weight, apologies to Mr President

Udoma Udo Udoma (Minister of Budget and National Planning):

Despite his sterling resume, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma seems to have punched above his weight with this portfolio.

There’s a feeling that Udoma was at fault for the mess that the 2016 budget became—the mangled numbers and the padding happened on his watch. In saner climes, he should have tendered his resignation after the budget fiasco.

He has not changed the budgeting process in four years and there is a thinking that he should have been given a different role in the cabinet

Mohammed Bello (FCT Minister):

Muhammed Musa Bello is only visible on the tarmac of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,each time the President is on his way in or out of the country.

FCT residents still remember Nasir El-Rufai’sdays as Minister of the capital city with nostalgia—an indication that Bello has been a ghost Minister.

Around Abuja, no one has really felt his impact and they would wish that he steps aside

Chief Audu Ogbe

Chief Audu Ogbe if you compare him to his predecessor, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina has not done us any good.

His acclaimed revolution in agriculture has only been in the books not in reality. The elder statesman has not increased the exports of our products as he promised and even the Yam export is hindered by an Export Prohibitive Act that he should have worked with the National Assembly with to abolish.

Mallam Adamu Adamu

Mallam Adamu Adamu, the Education Minister is one of the ministers who may likely be retained in the cabinet but Nigerians are begging Mr President to resist temptation.

The Bauchi State born politician was a columnist before he joined the cabinet and has been a close associate of the President right from the Petroleum Task Fund, PTF but has failed woefully as a minster.

The public secondary and tertiary institutions have not improved under his watch. He has added nothing to the Ministry in terms of innovation.

Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu

Dr. Onu who is the current Minister of Science and Technology who has not done well.

By now with the right direction, we should be on the way to competing with the rest of the world but this Minister seem to just be marking time

Hadi Sarika

Hadi Sirika is the Minister of State for Aviation. He has received commendations for some remarkable achievements but the state of the flagship airport, Murtala Muhammed International Airport has dented his CV big time.

If he cannot upgrade the MMIA in four years he has no business in the ministry, one angry passenger told us.

DR Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour

The Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige has been one of those good men who have fallen flat. Under him, there has been too many spats with labour unions and if not for the election would have had the longest labour shutdown in recent memory.

Dr Isaac Adewole

Minister of health is one of those Ministers who has failed to live up to expectations.Just a walk to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital is enough to send him packing.

He has not done anything significant despite being a stakeholder.

Hon. Heineken Loikpobiri: Minister of State, Agriculture

Like the other ministers of State, he was just there without any achievement or ideas to affect the sector.

Featured

PDP Govs Meet in Ibadan, Rejects Merger Plans, Reaffirm Support for Fabara

Published

9 hours ago

April 15, 2025

Eric

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has debunked speculations of the party planning to join any coalition or merger.

The resolution was made in a communiqué issued at the end of the Forum’s meeting held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday.

After the meeting which lasted about six hours behind closed doors, the Chairman of the Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who read the communiqué clarified that rather, the PDP remains open to welcoming individuals, parties, and groups committed to rescuing Nigeria and promoting good governance,

“The Forum resolved that the PDP will not join any coalition or merger. However, as a major opposition party, it welcomes any party, persons, or groups willing to join it with a view to wrestling power and enthroning good leadership in 2027,” the communiqué read in part.

On the recent Supreme Court judgment on the national secretary position, the Forum recommended that the deputy national secretary act in the position pending the nomination and ratification of a substantive Secretary from the South East geopolitical zone.

On the spate of insecurity in parts of the country, the Forum expressed concerns over the rising insecurity, particularly in Borno, Katsina, Edo, and Plateau States.

The group called for a review and re-organisation of the nation’s security architecture, advocating a bottom-up approach that empowers sub-national governments to play a more active role in safeguarding their territories.

The Forum also declared its solidarity with the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, amid the current political crisis in the State, and the declaration of a state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu.

The Forum announced plans to hold a national meeting on May 27, 2025, where a Zoning Committee would be constituted ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for August 28 to 30, 2025, in Kano.

The communiqué also listed members of the Zoning and National Convention Committees, with Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State named Chairman of the Zoning Committee, and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State heading the National Convention Committee.

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Confab: No Justification to Refund N300m, NBA Tells Rivers Govt

Published

10 hours ago

April 15, 2025

Eric

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has debunked claims that the Rivers State Government paid for the rights to host the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC), stating categorically that no such arrangement existed within the NBA’s planning framework.

In a statement issued by the Chairman of the 2025 AGC Planning Committee, Emeka Obegolu (SAN), the NBA clarified that the decision to hold the conference in Port Harcourt was made as far back as August 2024, and was not influenced by any bidding process or financial inducement.

“Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Administrator of Rivers State suggesting that the government paid hosting rights for the 2025 NBA AGC,” Obegolu stated.

“We wish to make it clear that the host city does not pay for any such rights. There was no representation by the NBA that hosting the conference was tied to financial commitments.”

According to the NBA, “while the Conference Planning Committee routinely seeks support from state governments, corporate bodies, and other organisations due to the enormous costs involved in staging the AGC, such support is purely voluntary and not linked to any hosting privileges.”

Obegolu noted that previous editions of the NBA AGC had also benefited from the support of public and private institutions as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.

“Support is often received as gifts, sponsorships, or partnerships – not as payment for hosting rights,” he said.

He said that Rivers State’s financial contribution fell squarely under this category.

“We remain focused on delivering a world-class conference for our members and will not be distracted by unnecessary controversies,” Obegolu stated.

The NBA’s AGC is one of the largest gatherings of legal professionals in Africa, and the 2025 edition is expected to draw thousands of participants from across Nigeria and beyond.

Featured

Lagos APC Stakeholders Protest, Reject Obasa’s Candidate for LG Poll

Published

10 hours ago

April 15, 2025

Eric

The All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Ojokoro LCDA, Lagos State, ended in chaos on Monday over alleged imposition of a chairmanship candidate.

The meeting began peacefully at 7, Ijaoye Street, at 4:00 pm before aggrieved members stormed the venue in protest.

Protesters chanted “(unprintable word”; “We can’t take it”, and accused Speaker of State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, of imposing a candidate from Agege on Ojokoro residents.

Other chants included “Who knows Sanusi?”, “Obasa can’t control us from Agege”, and “We won’t allow a stranger rule us here”.

Speaking after the disruption, one of the protesters, Mr. Olusegun Akinoso-Olawaye said the meeting was a ploy to ratify an imposed candidate with no ties to the council.

He stressed that a chairmanship aspirant must reside in Ojokoro, and have worked for the party and actively participated in council politics.

He warned that imposing an outsider with no electoral history in Ojokoro would have negative consequences.

“We are here to reject imposition. All aspirants deserve a fair contest to prove their political relevance,” Akinoso-Olawaye stated.

He noted there are at least 18 aspirants for the chairmanship, all of whom had supporters present at the protest.

Another protest leader, Mrs. Bola Ojetayo, lamented that party leaders often prioritise personal interests over the will of the people.

She said the protest aimed to prevent installation of an unfamiliar figure as the next council chairman.

“We must not sell our seat to outsiders. A stranger cannot come and lead us in our own home.

“Leaders can’t sit elsewhere and decide for us. Someone in Agege shouldn’t determine Ojokoro’s leadership,” Ojetayo said.

In response, Mr. James Owolabi, a former House of Representatives member, and APC stalwart in Ojokoro, urged protesters to remain peaceful and avoid violence.

Owolabi, who represented Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency, acknowledged the concerns and affirmed their right to protest within the party.

“You have a voice in the party. Express yourselves peacefully without violence,” Owolabi advised.

Other APC leaders present included Mr Jelili Oseni, council chairman, and Ipoola Omisore, a former Lagos Assembly member.

Also in attendance were Alh. Amosu Aminu, Chief Oriyomi Olaogun, and Mr Akindele Aremu, among others.

The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) had scheduled the local government elections for July 12, 2025.