Speculation about an imminent cabinet reshuffle has intensified following President Bola Tinubu’s recent closed-door meetings at the Presidential Villa.
The Guardian learned that President Tinubu met with Hadiza Bala-Usman, his Special Adviser on Policy Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit, to finalize the assessment of ministerial performances.
This move comes as part of preparations for the anticipated reshuffle, which the President hinted at before his two-week vacation last month.
Originally expected to be announced during the Independence Day broadcast on October 1, the reshuffle was postponed as the President embarked on a working leave abroad.
Upon his return over the weekend, anxiety among ministers reportedly surged, with many concerned about their future in the cabinet.
Sources close to the presidency revealed that a detailed list evaluating the performance of each minister had been compiled under Bala-Usman’s supervision before the President’s trip to the United Kingdom.
The comprehensive review undertaken by the policy coordination office was tasked with identifying which ministers would be retained and who would be let go based on their performance and alignment with the administration’s objectives.
Further stirring the pot was the presence of Zacchaeus Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service and Special Adviser to the President on Revenue, along with Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, at Aso Rock during Monday’s prolonged discussions.
A presidential source who spoke with the platform disclosed that President Tinubu could hold a valedictory meeting with some outgoing ministers during Wednesday FEC meeting.
A presidential source said, “It is expected that before the end of the week, the President will announce a cabinet reshuffle.
“There is going to be a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, which may be a valedictory meeting for some of the ministers, except if the President decides to change his mind and delay the announcement.”