7 Buhari’s Ministers May Quit Over Frustration
· Tension grips President’s aides over sack
· NPA EDs to go month end
· MWUN seeks probe of Oduntan
As President Mohammed Buhari resumes work, Monday this week, after a 10 day medical trip to London, seven serving Ministers in his cabinet may have concluded plans to quit their position, even as there is palpable worry among his aides that some of them have been penciled down for sack.
Meanwhile, the tenure of the three serving Executive Directors of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is expected to end by the end of June, 2016, creating room for a new set of executive management team.
It was however gathered that the cabinet Ministers who have indicated interest to throw in the towel are seemingly facing frustration arising from the austere posture of Buhari’s leadership.
They are said to be irked by the N4million approved by President Buhari as their yearly accommodation entitlement, a development that has made it difficult for them to rent meaningful houses in Abuja.
President Buhari had turned down their request for N20 million grant each to enable them settle down in Abuja. Their demand was turned down, according to sources, by Buhari, who did not see the amount as reasonable in view of the state of the economy.
Naij.com had reported that “one of the ministers who once served as a commissioner in one of the South West states has been squatting in one of the mansions belonging to his political godfather and chieftain of the ruling party.”
MMS Plus gathered that the President is not satisfied with the service delivery of some of his aides and as such has resolved to replace them on his return from London. He is said to have also made a list of ministers that have performed poorly and those who stirred unnecessary controversy to the discredit of his government in his one year in office. He is said not be particularly happy with some of the ministers, who may be shown the way out.
Recall that the ministers took oath of office in November 11, 2015.
The Executive Directors of NPA were appointed into office on July 25, 2012 for three years tenure.
MMS Plus gathered that the ED’s tenure would not be extended, especially when they have pending cases of mismanagement of funds, a situation that has pitched them against the Managing Director of NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) already investigating the streams of allegations against them.
The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi is said not to be satisfied with the leadership of the executive management team who are: ED, Marine and Operations, Engr. David Omonibeke; ED, Finance and Administration; Mr. Olumide Oduntan; ED, Engineering and Technical Services, Mr. Mohammed Sani Saleh, and the Managing Director, Mallam Abdullahi, who has a different four years tenure.
With less than one month to go, however, Mr. Oduntan has been allegedly involved in maritime labour politics, with the intention of producing one NPA retiree in the system as the next president of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).
A section of MWUN which disclosed this to MMS Plus, called on the Transport Minister and the Managing Director of NPA to audit the cash-flow process in NPA as managed by the ED, Finance and Administration.