The removal of ministers from office is not new in Nigeria’s political system. From military to civilian rule, there have been pockets of ministers who were removed or sacked by their superiors as a result of scandals or cabinet overhauls.
President Tinubu recently fired some ministers, causing controversy in some parts of the country. Each President, from Olusegun Obasanjo to Umaru Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, and Bola Tinubu, has a history of dismissing ministers during their tenure.
A check by WITHIN NIGERIA reveals that 23 ministers have been ousted or sacked since the reinstatement of civil administration in 1999.
Here is a list of previous Ministers dismissed since 1999, along with the reasons for their dismissal:
FABIAN OSUJI
Fabian Ngozichukwu Chinedum Osuji was a Nigerian politician who served as an associate professor at the University of Ibadan’s Department of Zoology from 1973 until 1981. He served as Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Education from July 2003 until March 2005.
He was fired by President Olusegun Obasanjo in March 2005 after being indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for reportedly proposing N55 million ($400,000) in bribery to the National Assembly to adopt an inflated budget.
According to the article, Osuji allegedly bribed the head of the Senate and six other members of the National Assembly to ensure the smooth approval of his yearly budget.
PROF. ADENIKE GRANGE
Professor Adenike Grange is a Nigerian pediatrician. In 2007, she became the first female minister of health. She was dedicated to improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria, lowering maternity fatalities and disease rates among vulnerable populations.
She was arrested on the orders of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua for handling 300 million naira in unspent monies. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigated her and brought her to trial.
She and Gabriel Aduku, the then-minister of state in the Ministry of Health, bowed to criticism and abruptly left President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s government over a N300 million scam.
Grange claims that her directors misled her. The President reportedly requested that all unspent funds in the budget be returned, but they were purportedly distributed as incentives to Health Ministry officials.
MICHEAL AONDOAKAA
Michael Kaase Aôndoakaa, SAN, is Nigeria’s former Justice Minister and Attorney General. In 2007, he was appointed by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
However, he was deposed in a political power struggle by Goodluck Jonathan, who served as acting president in 2010.
BARTH NNAJI
Bartholomew Nnaji is a Nigerian engineer, innovator, and one of the originators of the E-Design concept. He was Minister of Power under President Goodluck Jonathan’s government.
According to sources, Nnaji was tactically pushed to retire after a barrage of charges linking him to attempts to undermine the bidding process for the sale of the Afam Power Plant.
However, sources claim that President Jonathan asked the minister to retire rather than be fired in order to rescue his administration from the massive embarrassment that such an action would cause.
BUKAR TIJANI – BUKAR
Bukar Tijani-Bukar is a former Minister of State for Agriculture during Jonathan’s tenure as President.
He was sacked from office by former President Goodluck Jonathan in September 2013. According to reports, he was a victim of cabinet overhaul.
OLUSOLA OBADA
Olusola Obada is a lawyer and former Minister of State for Defence from 2011 to 2012.
According to reports, she was sacked alongside eight other ministers in a major reshuffle in September 2013. Unconfirmed sources claimed that she was a victim of intensive powerplay and cabinet overhaul.
ZAINAB IBRAHIM KUCHI
Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi is a former Minister of State for Power and Niger Delta Affairs from 2011 to 2013 respectively.
According to reports, she was inadvertently sacked as Minister during a FEC meeting alongside eight others in a major reshuffle during the Jonathan led administration.
AMAL IYINGIALA PEPPLE
Amal Iyingiala Pepple is a former Minister of Housing, Land, and Urban Development. President Jonathan dismissed her during a significant cabinet reshuffle. She was a casualty of a cabinet reform aimed at ensuring political stability.
RUQAYYATU AHMED RUFAI
Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai is a former Minister of Education. She was the first female education minister from the northern part of Nigeria.
According to reports, she was dismissed during a major cabinet reshuffle by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013.
SHAMSUDEEN USMAN
Shamsudeen Usman is a former Minister of National Planning. He was appointed as Minister by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. He was the longest-serving cabinet member.
According to reports, he was dismissed during a major cabinet reshuffle by President Goodluck Jonathan.
YERIMA NGAMA
Yerima Ngama is a former Minister of State for finance. He was appointed as a Minister by President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to reports, he was sacked as the Minister for finance. However, Ngama had declared his ambition to rule Yobe State in 2015.
CALEB OLUBOLADE
Caleb Olubolade is a former Minister of Police Affairs. He was appointed as Minister by President Goodluck Jonathan.
He was dismissed by President Jonathan in a surprise major cabinet reshuffle.
Olubolade was reportedly dismissed as a Minister to enable him to pursue his gubernatorial interests in Ekiti State.
STELLA ODUAH
Stella Oduah is a former Minister of Aviation. She was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
She was dismissed in February 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan over corruption allegations.
GODSDAY ORUBEBE
Godsday Orubebe is a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. He was appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan.
He was dismissed alongside three other ministers in 2014. According to reports, Orubebe was removed to pursue his interest in the Delta State governorship election in 2015.
SABO NANONO
Sabo Nanono is the former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. President Muhammadu Buhari fired him on September 1, 2021.
A source revealed that he was fired after constructing a mosque for N30 million for herders.
Another source revealed that Sabo Nanono was fired due to failings in Nigeria’s agriculture industry.
SALEH MAMMAN
Saleh Mamman was a former Minister of Power. President Muhammadu Buhari terminated him due to failed power agreements. According to reports, the departure was the result of cabinet reshuffle following a ‘independent and critical self-review,’ which helped reveal ‘weak spots’ in this government.
BETTA EDU
Betta Edu is a medical doctor and the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction. President Tinubu suspended her over allegations of money laundering.
Edu became a national story after a memo surfaced in which she directed the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer N585 million to a private account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claims currently serves as the Project Accountant, Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
She was initially suspended to allow for an investigation, but as of the time of making this report, she had not yet returned to work.
UJU KENEDY OHANENYE
Uju Kenedy Ohanenye is a former Minister of Women Affairs. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently terminated her appointment as a Minister.
According to sources, Uju disrupted two ongoing events with visitors and participants because they had not been permitted by her ministry.
She reportedly filed a lawsuit against Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, the speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, after he announced plans to marry off 100 orphaned girls in his state. She filed a petition with the Inspector-General of Police, or IGP, about the situation.
She also spoke with the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development about the suspected theft of N1.5 billion intended for contractor payments.
These are situations as opined by many that likely contributed to her dismissal as a Minister of Women Affairs.
TAHIR MAMMAN
Tahir Mamman is a former Minister of Education. He was sacked by President Bola Tinubu.
Findings revealed that many situations such as controversial 18-year limit for writing senior school certificate examinations, inaccurate claims about the accreditation of universities in Benin Republic, mishandling foreign students’ participation in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC scheme, age limit policy for universities among others were likely factors responsible for his dismissal.
LOLA ADE-JOHN
Lola Ade-John is an ICT expert and a former Minister of Tourism. She was appointed as a Minister on 16 August 2023. She assumed office on 21st August, 2023.
She was dismissed by President Bola Tinubu in a major cabinet reshuffle. Sources disclosed that she was sacked due to low or little gains in the Tourism sector.
DR. JAMILA BIO IBRAHIM
Jamila Bio Ibrahim is a medical doctor former Minister of Youth and Sports Development. She was appointed as a Minister by President Bola Tinubu.
She was dismissed by President Tinubu in a major cabinet reshuffle. According to sources, low performance in office led to her dismissal.
ABDULLAHI MOHAMMED GWARZ
Abdullahi Mohammed Gwarzo is a former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development. He was appointed as a Minister by President Bola Tinubu.
He was sacked in a major cabinet reshuffle. Sources claimed that low performance in office led to his dismissal.
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