President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday sacked the Ministers of Power, Saleh Mamman and his Agriculture and Rural Development counterpart, Alhaji Sabo Nanono in what marked an unprecedented move since his administration took off in 2015.
This was announced in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.
Adesina, in the statement, also confirmed that the positions of the affected ministers will be taken over by the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Mahmoud Abubakar and the Minister of State for Works, Abubakar Aliyu.
Abubakar will take over as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development while Aliyu will take over as the Minister of Power.
Adesina also confirmed that some other ministers have been pencilled down for sack by the President.
The sack of the two ministers is coming two years after they were inaugurated by the president in 2019.
The two ministers also became the first set of ministers to be sacked by the president since he assumed office in 2015 as many had in the past described Buhari as a President who does not have an appetite to fire his appointees as seen in several instances before now.
Commenting on this lasted action by the President, a top source in government circle told The New Diplomat that the cabinet reshuffle is geared towards “having a more productive team in the cabinet as Buhari moves to remedy his legacy and refocus the administration’s policy and actionable plans on his campaign promises so as to put his party (the All Progressives Congress) on good pedestals in the light of 2023 general elections.”
Adesina’s statement reads:
PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES CABINET RESHUFFLE
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a reshuffle in the cabinet formed on August 21, 2019.
In a statement to cabinet members during the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday 1st September, President Buhari announced that Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Engr. Sale Mamman, Minister of Power were leaving the cabinet.
In the same vein, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Minister of Environment, was redeployed to assume office as the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, while Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, Minister of State, Works & Housing will now be the Minister of Power.
The President said the changes were sequel to the “tradition of subjecting our projects and programs implementation to independent and critical self-review” through sector reporting during Cabinet meetings and at retreats.
He added that “these significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.”
The full text of the statement is reproduced below:
On Wednesday 21st August, 2019 the current Federal Executive Council was sworn-in after a rigorous retreat to bring returning and new members up to speed on the accomplishments, challenges and lessons drawn from my first term in Office and to emphasise the 9 priority areas of government for the second term.
- Two years and some months into the second term, the tradition of subjecting our projects and programs implementation to independent and critical self-review has taken firm roots through sector Reporting during Cabinet meetings and at Retreats.
-
These significant review steps have helped to identify and strengthen weak areas, close gaps, build cohesion and synergy in governance, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good to Nigerians.
-
I must commend this cabinet for demonstrating unparalleled resilience that helped the government to navigate the disruption to global systems and governance occasioned by the emergence of COVID-19 shortly after inauguration. The weekly Federal Executive Council meetings was not spared because the traditional mode was altered.
-
As we are all aware, change is the only factor that is constant in every human endeavour and as this administration approaches its critical phase in the second term, I have found it essential to reinvigorate this cabinet in a manner that will deepen its capacity to consolidate legacy achievements.
-
Accordingly, a few cabinet changes, marking the beginning of a continuous process, have been approved. They are as follows:
Ministers Leaving the Cabinet:
I. Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and
II. Engr. Sale Mamman, Minister of Power.
Redeployment:
I. Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Minister of Environment, to assume office as the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development;
II. Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, Minister of State, Works & Housing assume office as the Minister of Power.
- In due course, substantive nominations will be made to fill the consequential vacancies in accordance with the requirements of the constitution.
-
I have personally met with the departing members to thank them for their contributions to discussions in cabinet and the invaluable services rendered to the nation. Today, effectively marks their last participation in the Federal Executive Council deliberations and I wish them the best in all future endeavours.
-
Finally, I wish to reiterate once more, that this process shall be continuous.
-
I thank you all and May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
September 01, 2021
