President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has executed a cabinet reshuffle and dismissed several ministers following a performance evaluation that emphasized public perception.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, stated that the reshuffle was based on a thorough assessment led by Hadiza Bala Usman, the President’s Social Adviser on Policy.
Onanuga explained in an interview on AriseTv that this appraisal process was a key part of Tinubu's strategy since the ministers were sworn in last year.
During the swearing-in ceremony in August 2023, President Tinubu made it clear that he held the authority to hire and fire ministers, warning that he would not hesitate to remove those who failed to meet expectations.
He reiterated this stance during a ministerial retreat in October 2023, emphasizing his intention to regularly review cabinet performance.
The performance appraisal involved a technology-driven process where Nigerians could score ministers based on their effectiveness.
“Hadiza brought technology to it, asking Nigerians to score the ministers,” Onanuga noted. The results were derived from public feedback and empirical data, prompting the President to act accordingly.
As a result of this review, several ministers were relieved of their duties, including Prof. Tahir Mamman (Education), Uju Kennedy Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Mohammed Gwarzo (State for Housing), Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), and suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Betta Edu, who has since been replaced.