President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday announced a cabinet reshuffle, dropping nine of the 42 ministers that make up his cabinet.
Information Minister, Labaran Maku, said this while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council presided over by the President.
Maku said the directive relieving the nine ministers of their duties took immediate effect.
He said the President would soon forward the names of replacements for the affected ministers to the National Assembly.
“Today in Council, the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, announced a cabinet reshuffle which affected about nine Ministers.
“This reshuffle is with immediate effect.
“The ministers that have been affected in the cabinet reshuffle include the following: the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, the Minister of Environment, Hajia Hadiza Mailafia, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyat Rufa’i, the Minister of Lands Housing and Urban Development, Ms Ama Pepple.
“The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Ewa, the Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, the Minister of State, Defence, Mrs Erelu Olusola Obada.
“The Minister of State for Power, Hajia Zainab Kuchi and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Alhaji Bukar Tijani.
“These ministers have been affected in the cabinet reshuffle and the President-in-Council expressed his satisfaction and happiness over their commitment to government since they were appointed.
“He also thanked them for their service to their fatherland and said he will continue to engage them one way or the other in the implementation of transformation agenda and of course, in the various challenges government faces in terms of the efforts to transform our country,’’ he said.
To oversee the affected ministries pending new appointments, Maku said the Minister of State I, Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, would oversee the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said the Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyesom Wike, would oversee the Education Ministry while the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Darius Ishaku, would oversee the Ministry of Environment.
Maku said that the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Musa Sada, would oversee the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development.
Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, is to oversee the Ministry of Science and Technology while the Minister of State for Works, Bashir Yuguda, will oversee the Ministry of National Planning.
Maku said he was given the responsibility to oversee the Ministry of Defence, pending the appointment of a new Minister.
Responding to questions from correspondents, Maku said the cabinet reshuffle had nothing to do with the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but the decision of the President to inject new blood into his cabinet.
He said it was a decision to re-focus government for greater service delivery to the Nigerian public.
The minister said it was a decision that had been speculated in the media and not unusual in any administration that government reshuffles cabinet.
In an interview with correspondent, one of the affected ministers, Mailafia, said they were exiting the cabinet `honourably’.
“We have been part of the government and I owe a lot to it.
“We have been honoured to serve and we are moving out honourably, and I think that is important. Many have come and gone without honour.
“If you are wise enough, life is a cycle and from the day you come in, you should know there is exit. Every Wednesday, I come in here hoping one day there will be a cabinet reshuffle,’’ she said
Mailafia said she would still be in touch with her other colleagues, who were not affected and would continue to support the Jonathan administration.
