CABINET RE-SHUFFLE : Abati May Emerge Information Minister, Okupe (SA Media), Maku (Defence) ■News Sep 12, 2013 0 998 Ekekeee, Lagos Akinjide may emerge Housing Minister Anxiety in State House as more ministers set to leave As the dust generated by yesterday’s sudden sack of ministers by President Goodluck Jonathan is yet to settle, the President’s key advisers may have perfected plans to redeploy some ministers and sack a few more. While a close Presidential source told Ekekeee that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis was not unconnected to the President’s sudden decision, the President in a matter of weeks may shock the nation with a further tinkering of his cabinet. The source told Ekekeee that the President took the decision for two reasons : One, to dismiss some under-performing members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC). Ministers who fell into this category include the former Minister of State for Agriculture, Bukar Tijanni and ex Minister of Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafia who wept at the Chambers on hearing of her dismissal. “Secondly and most importantly, the President was apparently angered by the refusal of the ‘rebel’ governors to shift grounds on their unreasonable demands and had to weed his cabinet of some of their ministerial candidates,” the source confided in Ekekeee. The source continued: “But trust the President and his strategists, carrot and stick approach is the weapon in full display here. “As the President is discussing with the Baraje group on how to strike a peace deal and move the party forward, he is also on the other hand, taking some stringent decisions to prove to the dissenting governors and their sympathisers that he is capable of holding his own. “The President is trying to prove to them that he is capable of taming them as far as he remains the Commander- in Chief”, the source continued. Pressed further to reveal the cause of the President’s anger, our source reluctantly noted that the Governors are insisting that the President shelves his 2015 agenda. The former ministers who fell in the category of those who had to be dispensed for political reasons include, Professor Ruqquayatu Rufai (Education), a candidate and loyalist of Jigawa governor; former minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Amal Pepple, a loyalist of Rotimi Amaechi; former minister of state for power, hajiya Zainab Kuchi, a loyalist of Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger; former minister of Defense, Erelu Olusola Obada, a loyalist of former National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former minister of foreign affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru, a loyalist of ex President Olusegun Obasanjo who President Jonathan’s camp consider as neither here nor there regarding the faction of the party he is truly supporting. According to our source, the former minister of national planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman was removed to pave away for a stronger political force in Kano state who will be able to neutralize the hold of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso on the State’s political structure of the party. Meanwhile, there is this palpable tension in the Presidential Villa as ministers who walked in look moody and forlorn; having not recovered from yesterday’s shock and considering the fact that some of them only heaved a sigh of relief after the President was done reeling out the names of Ministers who had to go. Another source however confided in Ekekeee that while work is still ongoing regarding the full list of replacements for the sacked ministers, the surviving ministers who will be redeployed to the vacant portfolios were yesterday night hinted as regards their next assignments. “Well, don’t quote me but I am aware that the present Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide has been pencilled down for the Housing ministry. In fact she is aware of this development and she has accepted to serve in that capacity if it is confirmed,” the source said. The source added that after announcing the shocking news to the ministers in council yesterday, President Jonathan went straight into a crucial meeting with his key advisers on the way forward. “As I speak to you, only one of the vacant portfolios is close to being sealed and that is for the Housing I told you about.” Asked to confirm the rumour surrounding Presidential spokesmen, Dr Reuben Abati, Dr Doyin Okupe and Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, the source said : ” I have heard it too that Abati will replace Maku who will be given the Defense portfolio while Abati himself will be replaced by Okupe.” Maku is presently supervising the defense ministry in addition to being the Minister of Information. The source added that one of the President’s trusted advisers suggested this and the President seemed to be considering it. He further said that the President doesn’t think Abati is doing enough in his present capacity but is not favourably disposed to sacking him outrightly. Abati’s critics have accused him of lacking the requisite skills to properly manage the journalists in the villa especially with the sort of damaging stories that emanate from Aso Rock inspite of his presence. The President, our source said, has been frustrated by Abati’s obvious shortcomings a couple of times but since the spokesman is an ingenious writer and an eloquent speaker, the President is desperate to keep him in his team. Ekekeee further gathered that Okupe who is presently the President’s Special Adviser on Public Affairs and who operates from outside the villa, is reputed to have the requisite experience, nous and competence to manage information within the corridors of power.
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 07:29:40 +0000
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