But when the list eventually came around 7.30 pm, it was shock and surprise galore.
Twenty ministers were dropped from the cabinet.
Among them were Minister and Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commis-sion, Senator Mohammed Sanusi Daggash, and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Aliyu Modibbo Umar, both of whom were believed to be in the President’s kitchen cabinet.
A statement issued last night by Presidential Spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi said the ministers were relieved of their posts in furtherance of the ongoing efforts to reposition and strengthen the present administration for enhanced effectiveness in service delivery.
President Yar’Adua had restructured the federal ministries in September, de-merging some ministries earlier merged under erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo and creating a new Ministry of Niger Delta. Under the restructuring, there is now a total of 28 ministries to be manned by 42 ministers.
Among those dropped in yesterday’s cabinet reshuffle were Adamu Maina Waziri - Minister of State Agriculture; Charles Ugwu - Commerce & Industry; Ahmed Garba Bichi - Minister of State Commerce & Industry; Igwe Aja-Nwachuku - Minister of Education; Jerry Anthony Agada - Minister of State Education 1; Fatima Balaraba Ibrahim; Minister of State Power; Emmanuel Olatunde Odusina - Minister of State Gas; Halima Tayo Alao – Minister of Environment and Housing, and John James Akpanudoedehe – Minister of State Federal Capital Territory.
Others dropped were: Tijani Yahaya Kaura - Minister of State 1 Foreign Affairs; Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande – Minister of State for Information & Communication; Alhaji Haruna Hassan – Minister of State Interior; Sarafa Tunji Isola – Minister of Mines and Steel Development; Ahmed Mohammed Gusau - Minister of State Mines and Steel Development; Felix Hyatt – Minister of State Transportation (Aviation); John Okechukwu Emeka - Minister of State Transportation 2; Saudatu Usman Bungudu – Minister of Women Affairs, and Abdulrahman Hassan Gimba - M/Chairman National Sports Commission (NSC).
THISDAY learnt some of the ministers were dropped for non-performance or poor performance, while others were axed for alleged in-fighting, which former ministers of FCT, Environment and Water Resources were said to be pronounced in.
Adeniyi said the President also directed that until new Ministers are confirmed by the Senate and sworn into office, Mr. Remi Babalola (Minister of State, Finance), would serve as Supervising Minister for FCT.
Similarly, the Minister of State, Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr. Demola Seriki, would serve as Supervising Minister for the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, while Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong (Minister of State, Culture and Tourism) will serve as Supervising Minister for the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Alhaji Alhassan Bako Zaku (Minister of State, Science & Technology) is to act as Supervising Minister for the NSC; Elder Godsday Orubebe (Minister, Special Duties) will act as Supervising Minister/Vice Chairman, National Planning Commission and Mrs. Grace Ekpiwhre (Minister, Science & Technology) will oversee the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”
Yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting started an hour and a half behind the scheduled time of 10.am.
Oblivious of what was coming, most of the ministers were their usual self, throwing banters and discussing in groups about their various ministries and the decision to host the U-17 World Cup next year.
Five months after alerting the nation of impending cabinet reshuffle, inside sources confirmed to THISDAY that President Yar’Adua hinted the ministers that yesterday’s FEC meeting was likely to be the last for some of them.
He thanked them for their contributions to national development and asked them to watch out for those who have been retained and those who have been dropped later on the NTA network news.
The source further confirmed that those who are retained collected their letters of reappointment after their meeting before leaving the Presidential Villa.
At about 4.10 pm, President Yar’Adua took a valedictory photograph with the ministers.
But the three ministers in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs namely Chief Ojo Madueke, Tijani Yahaya Kaura, Ambassador Bagudu M. Hirse and Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN), who are said to be away for official assignments outside the country as well as Transportation Minister, Mrs. Diezani K. Alison Madueke, who was earlier in the meeting but had to leave for medical check-up were not part of the photo session.
Incidentally, the five of them were among those retained.
The taking of the photograph with the ministers preceded President Yar’Adua’s announcement of ministers to be dropped.
Daggash can be said to be a good actor as he came out of the meeting bubbling with life, shaking hands and generally joking with journalists.
When some reporters tried to approach him on the matter, he said rhetorically: “You think I have been sacked?”
At the end of the meeting, some of the ministers tried with little success to hide their emotions as they filed out to take the photograph with President Yar’Adua at the unusual photo session, which was the fist indication that the months of suspense over the cabinet reshuffle had ended.
Some ministers were seen expressing relief that the suspense was finally over confirming that the President’s delay in effecting the cabinet reshuffle had affected the pace of work at the various ministries.
One of the former ministers said the suspense was too much and was capable of causing hypertension.
It was easy to tell those who will not be returning as they had what seemed like forced smiles on their faces.
They walked briskly out of the villa after the photograph session, while others returning were seen backslapping each other and shaking hands.
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