There is nothing like a Cabinet reshuffle by TINUBU, that is just mere speculation - Presidency

Monday, January 15, 2024 – President Tinubu’s office has described reports of a looming cabinet reshuffle as mere speculation.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale disclosed this in an interview with National Television Authority on Sunday.

Ngelale said, “It is only natural to drive such stories, particularly if there’s even a whisper that such a thing could occur.

“But I think it’s important that we not preempt the activities of the President. The President is fully aware of all factors related to what people are doing and not doing within his administration.

“He does have a special adviser on policy and coordination in the person of Hadiza Bala Usman, who is also monitoring the activities of the MDAs with respect to performance-related issues, and he has all of that information at any point in time”, he said.

Ngelale said a possible cabinet reshuffle by President Tinubu would have to wait until the ongoing investigations into the alleged fraud in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and its Social Investment Programmes have provided conclusive ends.

According to him, the Tinubu-led administration will not spare any individual found culpable.

Over the last few days, the media and pundits had suggested a possible cabinet reshuffle, in the wake of the scandal at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs as well as suspension of the National Social Investment Programmes Agency’s (NSIPA) activities.

Reacting to the speculations, however, Ngelale said, “at this point, it is in the realm of speculation. What is not in the realm of speculation, however, is that the President has ordered a thorough investigation. And wherever that investigation takes him, he will act accordingly.

“I do think that the President would not make such a move until he has a clear idea of exactly what that investigation has unearthed and whether or not there are other officials of the government that he feels would need to be roped into such an exercise on the basis of whatever the findings of that investigation are”, he said.

Speaking on the on-going probe, Ngelale said, “The President has given full instruction to the EFCC chairman to conduct a thorough investigation.

“The way the President would direct such an investigation is to say that nobody, no name, should be left out if they are found wanting in the situation. No sacred cows at all.

“Anywhere this investigation takes the EFCC and other investigating authorities. That is where the investigation must go and the President will take action accordingly.”

Speaking further, the presidential spokesperson added that the President has “since made it clear to all members of his administration, within the Federal Executive Council and private meetings, that he will not tolerate any form of indiscipline corruption, dereliction of duty or any other form of incompetence.

“President Tinubu is going to let time go by. If he fully understands that somebody is not up to the task, he will fix the problem and fix it as quickly as possible,” he added.