The atmosphere at the Presidential Villa since last week has been tense as President Goodluck Jonathan may still dispense with a few other top aides who have not shown enough loyalty to the President.
Only last week, President Jonathan sacked six ministers, including three ministers of state and two special advisers.
The affected ministers are those of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru; National Planning, Dr. Shamshudeen Usman, and Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufa’i. Others are, Hajia Hadiza Mailafia, Environment; Ms. Ama Peppel, Housing; Minister of State for Power, Zainab Kuchi; Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusula Obada; Minister of State for Agriculture, Buka Tijani; and Science and Technology, Professor Ita Ewa.
The President had earlier sacked the Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdul-Kadir, from the cabinet. Sacked over the weekend are the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Mrs. Joy Emordi as well as Dr. Tunji Olagunju who was the Special Adviser on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
Though the Minister of information, Mr. Labaran Maku, said the changes in the cabinet were due to the President’s commitment to deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians by bringing in new hands and ideas into the system and that the changes had nothing to do with the current crisis in Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP. But inside sources within the ruling party disclosed that, the former aides and ministers were booted out because of the fall-out of the crisis and intrigues in the party.
According to the source, more aides are still under serious watch to determine where their loyalty lies because it is believed that some of the aides are still loyal to their state governors who nominated them to the Federal Executive.
Some Villa sources also said that, “the President is still not satisfied with the way his aides are responding to the political crisis within the party and has vowed to weed out a few other ministers and personal aides who could not shape up to the challenges.
“For instance, the President had expected that Senator Emordi could nip in the bud the crisis that erupted in the National Assembly on the resumption day since she had all the time during the vacation to pull some strings.”
The most dangerous aspect of the whole thing, according to the source, is the rumoured bribery scandal which the Presidency was said to be involved to get the lawmakers to pass a vote of confidence on the president to boast his chances ahead of the coming general election. “The President is determined to ensure that no loose cannon is kept in the team.
The three-week break within which the presidency is expected to wade into the crisis rocking the PDP will also give him the ample opportunity to evaluate the level of commitment of the remaining aides. I can tell you that a few of them who are found wanting will be laid off,” a source disclosed.
Reacting to the gale of sack, the All Progressive Congress, APC, said yesterday that it was indifferent to the recent sack of six ministers and two special advisers, saying what the country need is a government that has vision and quality leadership.
Speaking with Sunday Mirror yesterday, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said “We are indifferent to the sack of the ministers or special advisers by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Even if he sacks all the ministers it will not make any difference and that will not bring the government on the right track. “What we are saying is that the problem with the country is not about removing ministers or advisers but the government of Jonathan got the power without preparing for the task of governance. What will change the situation are the right leadership and a government with vision”.
The party said what Nigeria needs is not the cosmetic sack of ministers or advisers as this will not bring any change.” So we are indifferent because Nigeria is in daring need of total change and a government with purpose and good leadership”.
Virtually all the ministers and the special advisers that were relieved of their offices had some connections with either the rebel governors, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo or some members of the new PDP.
