President Muhammadu Buhari relieved the Ministers of Power, Saleh Mamman and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Nanono of their appointments with immediate effect.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, announced this on Wednesday in Abuja after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
He disclosed that the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abubakar, has been redeployed to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, while the Minister of State for Works, Abubakar Aliyu, is to take over as Minister of Power. He assured that the exercise will continue in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
The President, through Adesina said because change was constant, the review has become critical in order to reinvigorate the cabinet to deepen capacity and crystallise legacy achievements.
President Buhari said that his administration was approaching a critical phase in its second term, hence the need to rejig the cabinet to strengthen “weak areas, close gaps, manage the economy and improve the delivery of public good in the country.”
It will be recalled that there have been a lot of scandals involving the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, especially in the very poor quality of roads and other infrastructure that it has been superintending while the Power Ministry has remained a big embarrassment to the administration as systems failure has become ever so rampant in recent times.
This is the first time that President Buhari has relieved any minister of his appointment since his 6-year reign.
READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT HERE:
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 nine 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 meeting 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:
Mohammed Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and
Engr. Sale Mamman, Minister of Power.
Redeployment:
Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Minister of Environment, to assume office as the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development;
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 the 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.
