It is no longer news that President Bola Tinubu has sacked six ministers in a major cabinet reshuffle. The reasons he rejigged his team for the third time, technically, since he was sworn in on May 29, 2023, are raising dust in the polity.

Fresh insights on why the ministers were relieved of their duties emerged last night. Although, the Presidency said the ministers were axed based on the expectations of Nigerians, sources told Saturday Vanguard some of the ministers, apart from performing below expectations, had also become an embarrassment to the Tinubu Administration.

“The conducts of some of the ministers were antithetical to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. They were pitting the President against the masses and subjecting Nigeria to ridicule before the international community. How can a minister work against the President’s anti-corruption crusade and hope to remain in the cabinet? The sack was long overdue,” a close ally of the President told Saturday Vanguard.

Sacked ministers

The ministers shown the exit door on Wednesday were Mrs Uju Kenedy Ohanenye, Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John, Tourism; Prof Tahir Mamman, Education; Abdullahi Mohammed Gwarzo, State, Housing and Urban Devt; and Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Youth Devt. Betta Edu, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, who had earlier been suspended was left in the cooler.

Tinubu’s two earlier cabinet reshuffles

Tinubu raised dust with the way he went about forming his cabinet. To beat the 60-day time frame provided by the law, he first sent the names of 28 ministerial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation. While the senators were screening the first nominees he sent another 19 making 47. He, thereafter, made the first reshuffle by withdrawing the name of one of the nominees, Maryam Shetty, who went to the Senate for the screening not knowing that she had been dropped. He sent two more nominees including Festus Keyamo. Thus Tinubu sent 48 names for confirmation of which 45 were cleared.

Reshuffling cabinet before swearing-in

Tinubu also did the unimaginable by reshuffling his cabinet before swearing in the ministers he had earlier assigned portfolios.

A day before the swearing-in, President Tinubu adjusted the portfolios of four ministers-designate.

Those affected were former Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, who was to be sworn in as minister of Marine and Blue Economy. House of Representatives member Olubuni Tunji-Ojo, initially assigned to the ministry, took charge of the Ministry of Interior.

Alhaji Saidu Alkali, formerly assigned to the Interior Ministry, was sent to the Ministry of Transportation from where Oyetola was moved.

Mr Abubakar Momoh, who was earlier assigned Minister of Youth, took the oath of office as Minister of Niger Delta Development.

Two other ministers-designate, Heineken Lokpobiri and Ekperikpe Ekpo, had their portfolios adjusted as ministers of state in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

Betta Edu

President Tinubu suspended Betta Edu on January 8, 2024, after several groups and individuals demanded an unfettered probe of the leaked memo by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, instructing the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr Oluwatoyin Madein, to pay N585m into the private bank account of a project accountant in her ministry, Bridget Oniyelu.

The minister claimed that the N585m payment was meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states, and described the allegations against her as baseless.

The Media Assistant to the Minister, Rasheed Olarenwaju, said in a statement that it was legal within the civil service for such payments to be made into private accounts of staff members, especially project accountants.

Her claims did not move the President. She remained out of the cabinet.

Tahir Mamman

As Education minister, Mamman’s controversial 18-year limit for writing senior school certificate examinations and admission into tertiary institutions, which described as an “unforgivable sin.’

The National Co-ordinator of the Education for Accelerated Development, EDAD, Dr. Livinus ia Mbaonu, described Mamman’s sack as ”long overdue” because ”Mamman was on a mission to reverse the gains made in the education sector in recent times,” underscoring the urgency of his removal.

The EDAD listed 10 critical reasons for the minister’s dismissal, depicting a pattern of mismanagement and misinformation.

The sins included Mamman’s role in ”providing misinformation leading to diplomatic conflict,” which strained relations between Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo.

His claims about the accreditation of universities in Benin were inaccurate. He stated that only three institutions were accredited when over 50 hold this status, a move that hurt many Nigerian students in the affected countries.

Mamman was also accused of mishandling foreign students’ participation in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC scheme, causing thousands to be denied entry into the programme.

Age limit policy for universities

The EDAD cited conflicts among major educational bodies, including the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board , JAMB, as a consequence of Mamman’s leadership.

Other ‘sins’ included inefficiencies in the accreditation processes, a controversial 18-year minimum age policy for university admissions that resulted in lawsuits, and alleged lack of cooperation with fellow officials, which contributed to operational inefficiencies within the Ministry.

Uju Kennedy Ohanenye

Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, since her assumption of office on August 20, 2020, was arguably one of the most controversial ministers.

Her ‘sins’ included disrupting two ongoing events, which had guests and participants in attendance, because the events were not approved by her ministry.

The former minister, also engaged in an exchange of words with the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, over the alleged diversion of N1.5 billion meant for payment of contractors.

During an investigative hearing by the House of Representatives committee, to probe the N1.5 billion, which was said to be expended by the Ministry of Women Affairs, the minister, at a stage, flared up, saying that only 30 per cent of the N1.5 billion was paid to the ministry, but she could not give an account of how the money was spent because according to her, the First Lady, Remi Tinubu, had told her to mind her business.

The former Women’s Affairs minister slammed a lawsuit against the speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, following his announcement to marry off 100 orphaned girls in his state. She petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, on the issue.

After criticisms from stakeholders, the minister withdrew the charge against the speaker.

Threats to sue the United Nation

On October 16, Uju Kennedy vowed to sue the Anthonio Guterres-led United Nations for allegedly not releasing funds meant for Nigeria. She added that the UN had failed to provide her ministry with the necessary records, which would in turn attract legal action on or before November 15, if the situation remained the same.

Her allegations generated disbelief and criticism from various quarters, including the UN, which denied any wrongdoing and challenged her to provide evidence.

Some civil society groups questioned her motive and accused her of being ignorant of the UN’s operations and protocols.

She was in the eye of the storm following the University of Calabar sexual harassment allegations, that indicted the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Cyril Ndifon and led to his suspension on August 17 2023. The former minister had in a leaked video/audio threatened to jail the female law students of the university. A host of groups accused her of taking sides with Professor Ndifon, despite her mandate to protect the rights of women in the country.

Former militant leader, Asari Dokubo, has voiced his anger and frustration at how he has been treated by the president Bola Tinubu administration despite supporting him to become Nigeria’s leader.

Dokubo said he will now stretch a hand of friendship to the North and form alliance with them ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

In a viral video, the former militant leader recounted how he spent his money campaigning for for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, only for the president to cast him adrift after he won.

Addressing his followers in a viral video, he recalled how he implored Nigerians to hold him accountable if Tinubu failed as president.

He also stated he now understood the reasoning of their fathers who chose to cast their lots and pitch their tents with the north instead of the Yorubas as they are treacherous.

He said: “I apologise to our fathers because they were not wrong in forming an alliance with the North, and as young men, we will now start that same alliance.

“From today, I will work and form an alliance with the North. President Tinubu betrayed me after I spent all my money and emptied my bank account campaigning for him. The Tinubu I know now isn’t the Tinubu I used to know. We will take this message across that only the Northerners can work with the Ijaw people.

“We can’t work with Yoruba people; they are a betrayal to us. We risked our lives by voting and doing everything, and this is what we get?”

This is coming amid reports of talks of alliance among the opposition political parties in the country.

In January, political scientist Pat Utomi announced that he consulted with PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party (LP) candidate Peter Obi, and NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso on the possibility of forming a new political party.

Recently, Utomi affirmed that Atiku, Kwankwaso, and Obi have agreed to form a political party that would oust President Bola Tinubu from power in 2027

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has failed to bring the development he achieved when he was governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007.

Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust published on Saturday, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum said he has tried to advise the present administration on its policies but it seems Tinubu is resistant to advise.

While expressing respect for Tinubu, the Bauchi Governor admitted he had mistaken with expectations that Tinubu will bring the same magic he brought to Lagos.

According to him, Tinubu performed well in Lagos when he had a team comprising of former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Minister Kayode Fayemi.

Bala Mohammed wondered why the duo are not involved in the Tinubu administration, stressing that the President should bring back knowledgeable people and not just those who are ready to give blind praises.

He said: “The NEC is an advisory body headed by the Vice President. As governors, we can express our views, but often we feel frustrated. What I said wasn’t meant to insult President Tinubu. I respect him greatly—he has mentored many people across Nigeria, regardless of state or religion. I had high hopes that when he becomes president he will bring the same magic he brought to Lagos. But I was mistaken. Perhaps he’s overwhelmed or resistant to advice.

“When I said his policies aren’t working, I was speaking as an opposition member. We can’t be expected to support him blindly as his party members do. In fact, I’ve shown considerable restraint, as a statesman, by not saying things that could ignite a national crisis. But there are serious issues in his administration-within the oil and gas sector, the lack of real action on insecurity, the surface-level economic policies, the handling of labour issues, and their overall approach to governance.

“The government’s economic policies, particularly around fuel and the welfare of the people, are not working. I’m saying this modestly-our monetary policies are failing. President Tinubu needs to bring in capable people to work with him, not me specifically, but experts from across the country. Nigerians are suffering from hunger and anger, and good governance means managing people’s aspirations and minimising discomfort.

“If the removal of fuel subsidy was supposed to help, we’re not seeing that. What we need are policies that actually put food on the table. Even if we pay the minimum wage, it’s not enough to bring relief. That’s why I called for a review. And maybe he’s trying to review things, but the continued rise in fuel prices suggests otherwise. How can workers afford to commute? How can people buy basic goods like a bag of maize?

“President Tinubu needs to show empathy and apply the same skills he used in Lagos on a national level. He had a strong team before-like former Vice President (Yemi) Osinbajo and former Minister (Kayode) Fayemi-where are they now? He should bring back knowledgeable people, not just those who say “ranka dede” (blind praise). That’s what I’m advocating.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajuddeen Abbas, were among the dignitaries who attended the wedding Fatiha of the daughter of Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje yesterday in Abuja.

The wedding fatiha between Fauziyya Danjuma Goje and Aliyu Ahmed Abubakar was held at the National Mosque, Abuja, after the two raka’at Juma’at prayers.

Other personalities who witnessed the wedding included the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, a former Vice President,  Atiku Abubakar; and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, among others.

Top politicians from across the country graced the occasion, cutting across major political parties, including governors, senators, ministers, business tycoons, and traditional and religious leaders.

Also in attendance were; Gombe State Governor , Inuwa Yahaya, Yobe state governor, Mai Mala Buni, ⁠Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, former Kaduna State Governor,  ⁠Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff and former national chairman of the APC , Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Presidential aides, including the Chief of Staff, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, were in attendance.

Senator Goje, a former governor of Gombe State, minister and ranking senator who has been in the upper chamber of the National Assembly since 2011, was seen with President Tinubu during the ceremony. He is a founding member of the All Progressives Congress.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser Media and Publicity to the Deputy Senate President, Ismael Mudashir, “It was excitement galore as President Tinubu and Atiku met at the occasion.

“Ganduje and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State were among the personalities excited by the meeting of Tinubu and Atiku at the occasion.”

Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has emerged as the overwhelming favourite for the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award following his historic and remarkable Europa League exploits with Atalanta and a Ballon d’Or nomination, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Atalanta star, who made history as the first player to score a hat-trick in a European club competition final during his club’s triumph over Bayer Leverkusen last season, has been getting massive backing from fans on social media since CAF announced the names of the ten nominees on Thursday night.

“Being the first player in history to score three goals in a European final makes Ademola Lookman a favourite among football fans worldwide for the African Player of the Year award,” Bala_The_Game_Changer wrote on X.

The 27-year-old’s nomination comes as no surprise following an exceptional year that also saw him score 11 goals and rendered seven assists in 31 Serie A games for Atalanta and became the only African player nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.

“I thought it was crazy when I saw my name in the 30 candidates for the Ballon d’Or. Being the only African player on the list makes it even more special,” Lookman told France Football recently.

Some fans believe the award should be handed to him without ceremony, with @jujupunte stating, “All these are not necessary. They’re supposed to take the award straight to Lookman in his sitting room.”

The Nigeria international faces competition from compatriot William Troost-Ekong and eight other nominees, including Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Algeria’s Amine Gouiri.

“This award is undisputed for Ademola Lookman… Even the other nine know this,” Maximus Dex wrote on X.

However, the exclusion of in-form striker Victor Boniface and current holder Victor Osimhen from the shortlist has sparked a debate among fans.

“Must be a joke. How did Boniface not make this list? Ademola Lookman will win, though, but Boniface has to be on the list. What is the criteria?” MSN questioned on X.

The winner will be announced at the upcoming CAF Awards 2024, where Lookman hopes to succeed Osimhen as Africa’s top player.

A student of the Obada Idi-Emi High School in the Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, identified simply as Ariyo, has died after a teacher allegedly beat him with 162 strokes of the cane for breaking a dustbin.

An activist identified as Adetoun shared the incident on Instagram on Friday.

According to Adetoun, the teacher had reportedly brought a dustbin to Ariyo’s class with instructions that the students should not break the dustbin.

She narrated that Ariyo had jokingly replied to the teacher that the dustbin was bought with the students’ money, a response which was said to have infuriated the teacher.

The teacher was said to have reported to the principal who instructed that the student be punished.

Acting on the principal’s instruction, the teacher allegedly flogged Ariyo with 162 strokes of the cane and in the process, the student fell and collapsed.

Adetoun said further that the teacher and some staffers of the school who were at the scene delayed in taking Ariyo to the hospital for medical attention and when they did, he was dead.

A senior police officer confirmed privy to the incident but was not authorised to speak with the media confirmed the incident to our correspondent.

He said that the incident created tension in the area but the intervention of the police brought it under control.

“We are on the matter, the incident wanted to create tension but we were able to douse the tension,” the police source said.

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command was yet to respond to enquiries on the incident sent to her line as of the time of filing this report.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday, relieved the experience of losing the 2015 presidential election which he described as a tough moment in his political life.

Jonathan also expressed the fatherly role played the chairman of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, played before he officially handed over to former President Muhammadu Buhari.

He disclosed this in Abuja during the first Raymond Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture organised by the management of Daar Communications in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

Jonathan, who ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, was defeated in the 2015 election by Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

Jonathan said, “It is not easy to lose an election as a president. You will think the whole world is against you. But then, Dokpesi invited me before I handed it over. I remember what he said to me when I lost the election.

“There were so many senior Nigerians (elder statesmen) who spoke. After I listened to all the conversations, he congratulated me and encouraged me to look beyond the election. This is how I commemorated that session.

“That communication gave me hope and helped me not necessarily for the transition hour ahead of me but also in my spiritual life as a private citizen. If you read my book, My Transition Hours, I explained it more elaborately.”

Earlier in his address, the Minister of Information, Idris Mohammed, urged Nigerians not to abuse the freedom of speech they are enjoying.

“Our respect for freedom of speech is sacrosanct even as we continue to urge responsibility in the exercise of this freedom. Nigerians are free to speak about this dear country of ours. What we can and will continue to do is to avoid getting to the point where reckless negativity becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts,” Mohammed stated.

About 42.3 million litres of imported Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, are expected in the country next week, oil marketers stated on Friday, urging local refiners to ramp up production.

Dealers said petrol imports would continue until the production of the commodity in the country was enough to meet domestic demand.

They insisted that the local production of refined products from modular refineries and the multi-billion dollar Dangote Petroleum Refinery was insufficient, stressing that this was why diesel and petrol importation had continued.

On September 3, 2024, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority disclosed that the Dangote refinery would supply 25 million litres of petrol to the Nigerian market daily starting from September.

It added that this would rise to 30 million litres from September. In a short statement, the NMDPRA said it met with NNPC to agree on local crude supply to the refinery.

“At the NMDPRA headquarters in Abuja, NNPC reached an agreement to commence crude oil sales and supply the Dangote refinery with local currency.

“The refinery is now poised to supply an initial 25 million litres of PMS into the domestic market this September and will subsequently increase this amount to 30 million litres daily from October 2024,” the NMDPRA stated on its X page at the time.

But oil marketers stated on Friday that the $25bn Lekki-based refinery was not producing up to that volume, which was why dealers had to import petrol to augment local production.

“Some of our consignments of PMS imports came into the country last week, and we expect the remaining ones to arrive by next week. About 32,000 metric tonnes of PMS will be arriving next week,” a major marketer who spoke in confidence due to lack of authorisation to speak on the subject, stated.

About 1322.76 litres of petrol weighs one metric tonne. This implies that the 32,000 metric tonnes being expected next week would mean 42.3m litres of imported petrol by the dealers.

It was gathered that two major marketers were jointly importing this volume of PMS, as other dealers had earlier brought in products into the country.

“The consignments are jointly owned and are being imported into the country by major marketers. This does not mean that we will not buy from the Dangote refinery. But the fact is that since the market has been deregulated, everyone is now competing.

“So, it is up to you to decide on where to get the product that will enable you to compete effectively. Nobody is disputing that. So, the importation of PMS and other products is not against the fair business practice,” the marketer stated.

On Monday, it was reported that no fewer than four vessels carrying petrol arrived at seaports along the nation’s borders between Friday, October 18, and Sunday, October 20, 2024.

The report cited a document obtained from the Nigerian Port Authority, revealing that about 123.4 million litres of PMS were berthed at two seaports to improve fuel supply nationwide.

The development confirmed an exclusive report by The PUNCH, which disclosed that oil dealers intended to import the commodity to supplement the supply from the $20bn Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The dealers had stated that the supply from the Lekki-based plant was currently insufficient to meet domestic demand.

Also speaking on the issue on Friday, another dealer stated that a lot of marketers were gearing up to bring in more products, adding that some others who could not import refined products were already buying from the Dangote refinery.

“The market is free now. It is a deregulated market, so everybody can source their products from wherever is best for them. Also, our local refineries are not producing enough to meet domestic demand.

“That is why I laughed when it was revealed that an indeginous refiner went to court to sue marketers to stop importing products. That can’t work in a deregulated market. Everyone who can import now is currently doing so. Even NNPC is importing.

“The last consignment we got was from the imported PMS of NNPC, which we took about six days ago and which we finished selling before our own came in. Oil and refined petroleum products are the life-wire of the economy. If anything happens to them, every sector of the economy will be affected,” the marketer stated.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Ukadike Chinedu, earlier confirmed that though IPMAN members had yet to start importing PMS, the market had been liberalised and anyone with the capacity to import was free to do so.

Details have emerged on the reasons behind President Bola Tinubu’s decision to sack five ministers and leave the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, in his cabinet, despite allegations of banditry sponsorship levelled against him.

The ministers who were removed from office include Mrs Uju-Ken Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN (Education), Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Youth Development), and Abdullahi Gwarzo (Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development).

According to the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the decision to dismiss the ministers was influenced by public perception and empirical data on their performance.

Onanuga explained that the reshuffle came as a response to the critical views held by Nigerians regarding the ministers’ effectiveness in office.

Why ministers were sacked

However, sources within the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress hinted that the decision was also based on the “lack of political value” of the affected ministers in their respective states.

According to an APC chieftain at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, a key consideration was whether the removal of any of the ministers would incite political unrest in their states.

“They evaluated if their sack would lead to a crisis for the president in their regions, and the feedback was that it would not,” he said.

The source further noted that while some ministers were sacked due to underperformance, others were dismissed based on concerns over their conduct and limited political relevance.

Bio-Ibrahim as placeholder 

Saturday PUNCH was reliably informed by top officials at the Ministry of Youth Development that the sacked minister, Bio-Ibrahim, had been a ‘placeholder’ for Ayodele Olawande, a former Minister of State for the ministry.

According to the officials, Olawande, who has been appointed as the substantive minister, was the favourite candidate of Seyi Tinubu, the son of the president.

The officials said the sacked minister was not empowered politically, adding that the system was rigged against her.

One of the sources working in the Education and Youth Development department told our correspondent that Bio-Ibrahim was a victim of political manipulations.

The official said, “The woman is a just victim of political manipulations. She didn’t enjoy being a minister because the system was not in her favour.

“The former Minister of State, Ayodele Ayowande, had been the choice of the presidency from day one. President Tinubu’s son, Seyi, wanted Ayowande to be the substantive minister from the start, but he didn’t have his way. They had since been working to take the woman out.

“One example is that in August this year, the woman wanted to hold a programme in Ondo State to dissuade the youth from joining the #EndBadGovernance protest, but she was frustrated out of it. The people who didn’t want the President to know she was active mobilised against her and she couldn’t hold the programme again. We knew she’d be relieved of her duties eventually because she didn’t have support from the political class.”

Ohanenye’s drama

Sacked Minister of Women Affairs, Uju-Ken Ohanenye, was relieved of her position because of her ‘constant drama’ which the presidency considered embarrassing, according to impeccable sources who spoke to Saturday PUNCH.

The sources said Ohanenye also stepped on many toes in her ‘aggressive moves’ to restructure the ministry.

According to the sources, the first turnoff recorded against Ohanenye was her threat to sue the United Nations for allegedly mismanaging funds meant for Nigeria.

Ohanenye had in October 2023 accused the UN of obtaining funds on behalf of the country without remitting them.

The former APC female presidential aspirant also disrupted two events in Abuja because the organisers did not seek the permission of her ministry to do so.

“The woman is a controversial person. She stepped on toes with her conduct and the President couldn’t curtail her excesses any longer. She is too dramatic as a minister. We knew she couldn’t go far”, said a source at the APC secretariat.

Azoka-Anite’s ‘external’ office

The former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Azoka-Anite, was accused of disconnecting herself from the agencies and departments under her ministry.

Officials of the ministry, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said she moved out of the ministry and established a new office in Abuja, making it difficult for staff to carry out their duties.

Azoka-Anite was moved to the Ministry of Finance as a state minister.

A top official of the ministry said, “The ministry was too big for her to handle. We usually have two ministers; we didn’t know why the President appointed only her to manage the ministry.

“Unfortunately, she was overwhelmed because she wanted to operate alone, not willing to work with departments and agencies under the ministry.

“She frustrated industrialists because of her self-styled administrative system. Each time we wanted to sign a file, we would leave the ministry to go and meet her at the new personal office she created in Abuja, and most of the files we submitted would not be returned to us. She has her team running the ministry for her.

“I believe industrialists who were frustrated by her style reported her to the President, which led to her demotion.”

Ade-John and Lagos power bloc

Sources in the tourism industry told Saturday PUNCH that the Lagos power bloc might have pressured President Tinubu into dropping Ade-John as the Minister of Tourism because she was not a politician.

According to the sources, Ade-John was denied access to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on three different occasions.

The sources noted that the woman, though residing in Lagos, didn’t have any political godfather, which exposed her to threats from politicians in Lagos and some individuals who wanted to take charge of the ministry.

“She may be from Lagos by birth, but she is not a party person. That is her crime. She was relieved because of pressure from the Lagos power bloc.

“The woman performed excellently well. Nigeria has offended that lady because she gave in her best and we have the result.”

The Director General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism, Wale Ojo-Lanre, in an article titled, ‘Lola Ade-John: Good bye to jati jati?’, described her removal as an injustice.

“Despite her visionary plans and tireless work, the sudden termination of her appointment feels like a deep injustice – a classic case of someone being stripped of their potential just as they are reaching for the stars.

“It’s essential to recognise that while she did not achieve everything she set out to do, what she accomplished in such a short time is nothing short of remarkable. She laid the groundwork for future leaders to build upon, and her legacy will not be forgotten”, he wrote.

Mamman’s sacking

The sacked Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, might have been relieved because of the controversies surrounding his actions and policies in the education sector, Saturday PUNCHgathered.

Among the controversies in the sector is the implementation of the 18-year minimum age policy for university admissions, which led to public outcry.

A non-government organisation, Education for Accelerated Development, listed Mamman’s sins to include misinformation, leading to diplomatic conflict between Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo, resulting in the suspension of degree programmes from universities in these countries, amongst other issues.

Matawalle’s escape

Sources explained that President Tinubu chose to retain certain ministers despite public dissatisfaction with their performance due to considerations around his potential second-term ambition and the political roles the ministers might play.

Some ministers reported to have equally underperformed included the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola; Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji; and Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, among others.

Matawalle has been repeatedly accused of sponsoring banditry in Zamfara State, an allegation he has always denied. Onanuga also stated that the allegations against him were unproven.

An APC chieftain in Abuja disclosed that the president ultimately narrowed down the list of ministers to be sacked to avoid ‘political stress.’

“Initially, more than five ministers were considered for dismissal, but the president evaluated those who could be beneficial to him politically. The president is wise and would not create challenges for himself,” the chieftain remarked.

“Do you see the president sacking any former governors currently serving as ministers? He can’t do that because he knows they will be useful for him in 2027. Among them, only David Umahi, the Minister of Works, has truly performed,” the source added.

On why Oyetola was retained, he said, “Blood is thicker than water. He is the president’s cousin; it would be unreasonable to expect his dismissal.”

The source also pointed out the appointment of Bianka Ojukwu as a strategic political move to weaken opposition in the South-East zone since Ojukwu held a high stake in the All Progressive Grand Alliance, a party with high followership in the region.

Matawalle being shielded, Zamfara gov alleges

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State alleged that the Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle, was being shielded by the Federal Government from accusations linking him to banditry.

Through his Chief Press Secretary, Sulaiman Idris, in a statement, Lawal accused Matawalle’s Federal Government connections of protecting him from scrutiny.

During an interview with Arise News, Onanuga explained that President Tinubu retained Matawalle because an investigation by the Office of the National Security Adviser deemed the allegations of banditry connections as “mere fabrication” and politically motivated.

However, Lawal’s spokesman disputed Onanuga’s claims, insisting the accusations were not politically motivated, as public security was at stake.

“When accusations of this nature arise, especially involving serious claims of bandit associations, the honourable thing would be for the officeholder to step aside. Effective investigations cannot happen while the individual remains in office, given their potential influence,” Idris noted.

He further stated that recent arrests of notorious bandits had prompted the governor to formally report the minister.

“We have arrested bandits who, during interrogations, provided significant information. A recent arrest led His Excellency to speak out after the detained individual was reportedly sent to Abuja for investigation but then released back to the forest.

“We even asked the NSA to question Matawalle about certain individuals and the events during the last Ramadan celebration in Tsafe Local Government, where Hilux vehicles carrying security personnel reportedly distributed food to bandits,” he added.

Idris alleged that Matawalle’s connections within the Federal Government have shielded him from accountability.

“We have facts, records, and names. As far as we know, no thorough investigation has been conducted. They are simply protecting him because he’s a ‘Federal Government boy,’” he added.

Governor Lawal also criticised Matawalle’s recent visit to Sokoto State in military uniform, claiming it was a display intended to avert his removal.

He added, “He did that because the cabinet reshuffle was imminent.

“There was no sincerity in his actions. Ask him why he hasn’t returned to Zamfara. If he says the governor would prevent him, it’s a lie. Following the Court of Appeal’s ruling on Zamfara’s election, he immediately visited the state, but he hasn’t returned since the Supreme Court’s judgment.”

Attempts to reach Ahmad Dan-Wudil, Matawalle’s media aide, for comments were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.

“The woman is a controversial person. She stepped on toes with her conduct and the President couldn’t curtail her excesses any longer. She was too dramatic as a minister. We knew she couldn’t go far”, said a source at the APC secretariat.

Uzoka-Anite’s ‘external’ office

The former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, was accused of disconnecting herself from the agencies and departments under her ministry.

Officials of the ministry, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said she moved out of the ministry and established a new office in Abuja, making it difficult for staff to carry out their duties.

Uzoka-Anite was moved to the Ministry of Finance as a minister of state.

A top official of the ministry said, “The ministry was too big for her to handle. We usually have two ministers; we didn’t know why the President appointed only her to manage the ministry.

“Unfortunately, she was overwhelmed because she wanted to operate alone, and was not willing to work with departments and agencies under the ministry.

“She frustrated industrialists because of her self-styled administrative system. Each time we wanted to sign a file, we would leave the ministry to go and meet her at the new personal office she created in Abuja, and most of the files we submitted would not be returned to us. She had her team running the ministry for her.

“I believe industrialists who were frustrated by her style reported her to the President, which led to her demotion.”

Ade-John and Lagos power bloc

Sources in the tourism industry told Saturday PUNCH that the Lagos power bloc might have pressured President Tinubu into dropping Ade-John as the Minister of Tourism because she was not a politician.

According to the sources, Ade-John was denied access to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on three different occasions.

The sources noted that the woman, though residing in Lagos, didn’t have any political godfather, which exposed her to threats from politicians in Lagos and some individuals who wanted to take charge of the ministry.

“She may be from Lagos by birth, but she is not a party person. That is her crime. She was relieved because of pressure from the Lagos power bloc.

“The woman performed excellently well. Nigeria has offended that lady because she gave in her best and we have the result.”

The Director General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism, Wale Ojo-Lanre, in an article titled, ‘Lola Ade-John: Good bye to jati jati?’, described her removal as an injustice.

“Despite her visionary plans and tireless work, the sudden termination of her appointment feels like a deep injustice – a classic case of someone being stripped of their potential just as they are reaching for the stars.

“It’s essential to recognise that while she did not achieve everything she set out to do, what she accomplished in such a short time is nothing short of remarkable. She laid the groundwork for future leaders to build upon, and her legacy will not be forgotten,” he wrote.

Mamman’s sacking

The sacked Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, might have been relieved because of the controversies surrounding his actions and policies in the education sector, Saturday PUNCHgathered.

Among the controversies in the sector is the implementation of the 18-year minimum age policy for university admissions, which led to public outcry.

A non-government organisation, Education for Accelerated Development, listed Mamman’s sins to include misinformation, leading to diplomatic conflict between Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo, resulting in the suspension of degree programmes from universities in these countries, among other issues.

Matawalle’s escape

Sources explained that President Tinubu chose to retain certain ministers despite public dissatisfaction with their performance due to considerations around his potential second-term ambition and the political roles the ministers might play.

Some ministers reported to have underperformed include the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola; Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji; and Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, among others.

Matawalle has been repeatedly accused of sponsoring banditry in Zamfara State, an allegation he has always denied. Onanuga also stated that the allegations against him were unproven.

An APC chieftain in Abuja disclosed that the president ultimately narrowed down the list of ministers to be sacked to avoid ‘political stress.’

“Initially, more than five ministers were considered for dismissal, but the president evaluated those who could be beneficial to him politically. The president is wise and would not create challenges for himself,” the chieftain remarked.

“Did you see the president sacking any former governors currently serving as ministers? He can’t do that because he knows they will be useful for him in 2027. Among them, only David Umahi, the Minister of Works, has truly performed,” the source added.

On why Oyetola was retained, he said, “Blood is thicker than water. He is the president’s cousin; it would be unreasonable to expect his dismissal.”

The source also pointed out that the appointment of Bianka Ojukwu was a strategic political move to weaken opposition in the South-East zone since Ojukwu was influential in the All Progressive Grand Alliance, a party with huge followership in the region.

Matawalle being shielded, Zamfara gov alleges

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State alleged that, Matawalle, was being shielded by the Federal Government from accusations linking him to banditry.

Through his Chief Press Secretary, Sulaiman Idris, in a statement, Lawal accused Matawalle’s Federal Government connections of protecting him from scrutiny.

During an interview with Arise News, Onanuga stated that President Tinubu retained Matawalle because an investigation by the Office of the National Security Adviser deemed the allegations of banditry connections to be “mere fabrication” and politically motivated.

However, Lawal’s spokesman disputed Onanuga’s claims, insisting that the accusations were not politically motivated, as public safety was at stake.

“When accusations of this nature arise, especially involving serious claims of bandit associations, the honourable thing would be for the officeholder to step aside. Effective investigations cannot happen while the individual remains in office, given their potential influence,” Idris noted.

He further stated that recent arrests of notorious bandits had prompted the governor to formally report the minister.

“We have arrested bandits who, during interrogations, provided significant information. A recent arrest led His Excellency to speak out after the detained individual was reportedly sent to Abuja for investigation but then released back to the forest.

“We even asked the NSA to question Matawalle about certain individuals and the events during the last Ramadan celebration in Tsafe Local Government, where Hilux vehicles carrying security personnel reportedly distributed food to bandits,” he added.

Idris alleged that Matawalle’s connections within the Federal Government had shielded him from accountability.

“We have facts, records, and names. As far as we know, no thorough investigation has been conducted. They are simply protecting him because he’s a ‘Federal Government boy,’” he added.

Governor Lawal also criticised Matawalle’s recent visit to Sokoto State in military uniform, claiming it was a display intended to avert his removal.

He added, “He did that because the cabinet reshuffle was imminent.

“There was no sincerity in his actions. Ask him why he hasn’t returned to Zamfara. If he says the governor would prevent him, it’s a lie. Following the Court of Appeal’s ruling on Zamfara’s election, he immediately visited the state, but he hasn’t returned since the Supreme Court’s judgment.”

Attempts to reach Ahmad Dan-Wudil, Matawalle’s media aide, for comments were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.

The Federal Government is introducing a 50 per cent tax relief for companies that increase salaries or offer transportation allowances to low-income workers, as part of a new legislative bill designed to reform Nigeria’s tax system.

The proposed law, titled “A Bill for an Act to Repeal Certain Acts on Taxation and Consolidate the Legal Frameworks relating to Taxation and Enact the Nigeria Tax Act to Provide for Taxation of Income, Transactions, and Instruments, and Related Matters,” is dated October 4, 2024, and was obtained from the National Assembly.

A review of the bill on Friday indicated that it aims to introduce certain income tax exemptions to incentivise salary adjustments.

According to a section of the bill, companies will be allowed an additional 50 per cent deduction in their relevant years of assessment for costs incurred during the 2023 and 2024 calendar years.

The qualifying expenses include wage increases, transportation subsidies, or transport allowances granted to workers, whose gross monthly earnings are brought up to N100,000 or less.

The provision, however, stipulates that any additional salary increases granted to employees earning above N100,000 monthly will not be eligible for the tax deduction.

Also, firms that hire new employees resulting in a net increase in their workforce between 2023 and 2024 will qualify for the deduction, provided the new employees remain employed for at least three years and are not involuntarily disengaged.

A section of the bill read, “A company shall be entitled to an additional deduction of 50 per cent in the relevant years of assessment in respect of costs incurred in 2023 and 2024 calendar years on the following –

“(a) wage awards, salary increases, transportation allowance or transport subsidy granted to a low-income worker, which bring the gross monthly remuneration of the worker up to an amount not exceeding N100,000.00; provided that any additional award or salary increase to an employee earning above N100,000.00 as monthly salary shall not qualify for the additional deduction under this subsection; and

“(b) salaries of any new employee constituting a net increase in the average number of new employees hired in 2023 and 2024 calendar years over and above the average net employment in the 3 preceding years, provided that such new employees are not involuntarily disengaged within a period of 3 years post-employment.”

Also, the Federal Government plans to introduce an Economic Development Incentive Certificate as a tax incentive for companies investing in capital projects.

As outlined in the bill, firms seeking the certificate must submit their applications through the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, accompanied by a non-refundable fee of 0.1 per cent of the capital expenditure, capped at N5m.

The NIPC will review and recommend the applications to the Minister for approval, after which the Minister may forward the recommendation to the President.