A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s proposed cabinet reshuffle, arguing that it will have little impact on Nigerians enduring difficult economic conditions.
Last week, the presidency announced Tinubu’s intention to reshuffle his cabinet, although Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, did not specify when this would happen. “I don’t have any timeline. The President has expressed his desire to reshuffle his cabinet and will do it. I don’t know whether he wants to do it before October 1, but he will surely do it,” Onanuga told State House Correspondents in Abuja.
However, Galadima dismissed the significance of the reshuffle, emphasizing that Nigerians are primarily focused on their daily challenges. “That [planned cabinet reshuffle] has nothing to do with me or any Nigerian. What matters to all of us is alleviating the harsh living conditions, and the responsibility lies with one man,” he stated during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He further asserted, “No amount of reshuffling can make a difference. If the team is merely about ‘jobs for the boys,’ nothing will come of it.”
Galadima also highlighted that the president bears ultimate responsibility for his cabinet’s performance. “Anyone who calls themselves president or governor is accountable for their cabinet’s actions,” he noted.
Accusing some of Tinubu’s appointees of prioritizing personal gain, Galadima remarked, “He should be made aware that some of his appointees are more interested in their pockets than in delivering services.”
While expressing disappointment in the president’s current performance, Galadima acknowledged that he had higher expectations when Tinubu took office. “I expected him to do better than this and to hit the ground running,” he said. He also urged the president to urgently tackle the country’s foreign exchange crisis, which has seen the naira’s value continue to decline.