The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned opposition criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s recent cabinet reshuffle, insisting that much of the backlash stemmed from lobbyists unhappy about their appointments being ignored.
In an interview with The Punch, APC National Communications Director, Bala Ibrahim, said he has taken the bold decision to reshuffle the cabinet with the removal of five ministers, the addition of seven new ministers and adjustments in the designation of ministers. He praised Tinubu. 10 others.
Ibrahim stressed that the president’s focus is on improving efficiency, not appeasing political factions.
The appointments include Uju-Ken Ohanenye (Women’s Affairs), Laura Adejohn (Tourism), Professor Tahir Manman (Education), Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Jamila Bio.・The (youth development) initiative, which includes the dismissal of Dr. Ibrahim, has been met with disapproval from opposition parties.
Critics, including representatives from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labor Party, and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), say these changes do not address the critical issues facing Nigerians. He also argued that governance costs have not been reduced.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national youth deputy leader Timothy Osadore dismissed the changes as a superficial move to appease the people without addressing the real issues.
Meanwhile, Shehu Gabam, the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, argued that Tinubu’s government needs a complete overhaul with new and competent appointees to be effective.
Labor Party spokesperson Obiora Ifor questioned whether changes to the structure of the ministry and ministerial appointments would truly benefit the people.
Sylvester Ezeokenwa, National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, noted that although cabinet reshuffles are the norm, now is not the right time to experiment with governance.
In response to the criticism, Ibrahim claimed that the opposition was simply disappointed in his exclusion from the new cabinet.
“I think the opposition is handling the truth wisely. They’re only pessimistic because they’ve been lobbying for it and the president hasn’t responded to their invitation.
“They expected more people to join the cabinet, just like men from the Federal Capital Territory. Unfortunately, they do not share the aspirations of the party and the president, so they They are not invited to participate in government,” he said.
Mr. Ibrahim defended the transfer of personnel as standard administrative practice, stressing that Mr. Tinubu emphasized clear performance evaluation criteria for ministers.
He said the changes were aimed at reducing headcount and governance costs, as outlined in Tinubu’s broader reform agenda.
“They are not sincere in what they say. It is normal for the cabinet to change. Any government can reshuffle the cabinet.
“You will also see a semblance of stability during the Buhari era, especially for a party like the PDP, which was known for arbitrary and irregular changes.
“Throughout his eight years, I think there was only one slight change, but since President Bola Tinubu took office, he has made it clear that ministers and appointees will be monitored. He has given everyone key performance reviews. You will be given metrics and evaluated accordingly.
“The whole idea, as the President said, is to reduce duplication of responsibility and at the same time reduce the cost of governance.
“I think we should applaud a president who had the courage to call a spade a spade and try to put a round peg in a round hole,” he concluded.