BARELY two days after he effected a change in the military hierarchy, President Olusegun Obasanjo extended the same measure to the cabinet yesterday.
Five ministers and a minister of state were affected in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) reshuffle announced yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mrs. Oluremi Oyo.
As he did when he immediately named the successors of the dropped military chiefs, Obasanjo yesterday sent the names of the ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation.
The disengaged ministers are Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism), Alhaji Magaji Mohammed (Internal Affairs), Alhaji Adamu Idris Waziri (Commerce), Alhaji Saidu Sambawa (Sports and Social Development) and Col. Musa Mohammed, retired, (Inter-Governmental Affairs, Youth Development and Special Duties).
Oyo also announced the removal of the Minister of State for Water Resources, Bashir Awotorebo.
Their disengagement takes effect from today.
Although no reason was given for the removal of the ministers, The Guardian learnt that some of them had intimated the President of their intention to seek elective offices in 2007.
The Guardian had reported last Friday that the Presidency might allow public officials to pursue their political ambitions.
Three of the ministerial nominees are aides of the President. They are the Special Assistant (Public Affairs), Femi Fani-Kayode (from Osun State), Special Assistant on Millennium Development Goals, Mrs. Amina Ibrahim (Gombe) and the Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters to the President, Bala Kaoje (Kebbi).
Other nominees are Mrs. Salome Jakanda (Taraba), Eka Mbam (Ebonyi) and Sayyadi Abba Ruma (Katsina).
At the Senate yesterday, there was loud laughter in the chamber and the public gallery when the name of Femi Fani-Kayode was mentioned as one of the ministerial nominees.
Senate President Ken Nnamani, who reeled out the list of the nominees, paused a while to allow the senators laugh and exchange glances at the mention of Fani-Kayode, a voluble and combative defender of the President.
Also yesterday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Senator Ahmadu Ali, informed senators that he meant no harm on what he said in the interview he granted to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
In a letter entitled: “BBC Interview: Hausa Service” and addressed to the Senate President, which was also read to senators, Ali said: “I am a senator and would not wish to hurt the feelings of any senator or the Senate. I therefore do not mean any harm; I sincerely hope that this letter closes the incident. As colleagues let us move this country forward”.
This will be President Obasanjo’s fifth reshuffle of his cabinet since he came to power on May 29, 1999. The first took place in 2000 when Chief Dapo Sarumi was moved from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to the Ministry of Co-operation and Integration and Co-operation in Africa. The second came in 2002 when Sarumi was dropped from the cabinet.
The third occurred early last year when the then Ministers of Education and Housing, Prof. Fabian Osuji and Mobolaji Osomo were laid off over allegations of N55 million bribery and indiscriminate sale of government property to senior public officials.
The fourth cabinet reshuffle was last year when the former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Chief Chuwuemeka Chikelu, was removed and replaced with Frank Nweke (Jnr.) who hitherto was Minister, Special Duties and Youth Development.
Also, the former Minister of Women Affairs, Obong Rita Akpan, Minister of State for Health, Funke Adedoyin and Minister of State for Works, Sale Shehu, were relieved of their appointments during the same reshuffle.
Early this year, the immediate past Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, was removed and in his place, Dr. Obafemi Anibaba, came on board.
Alhaji Magaji Mohammed from Dutsin-ma in Katsina State is a former Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and had also served as Minister of Industry before he was moved to the Internal Affairs Ministry following a major cabinet reshuffle early 2005.
Mohammad’s governorship ambition in Katsina State was not hidden. He contested the former Social Democratic Party (SDP) ticket with the present state governor, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 1992 but lost. He also made an attempt to secure the PDP ticket in 1998 and failed.
The President had earlier approved the resignation of National Security Adviser (NSA), Lt.-Gen. Aliyu Muhammed Gusau and equally endorsed new replacements for Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Alexander Ogomudia and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall Jonah Wuyep.
Obasanjo, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, also appointed Lt.-Gen. Martin-Luther Agwai as CDS. Gen. Agwai was until the appointment the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
Maj.-Gen. Owoye Andrew Azazi was appointed to replace Agwai as COAS. The new Chief of the Air Staff is Air Vice Marshall Paul Dike, who takes over from Wuyep.
Gusau was replaced as NSA by Maj.-Gen. Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar (rtd) former Military Governor of Katsina State. Until this appointment, Mukhtar was Nigeria’s Envoy to Russia.
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