President Goodluck Jonathan wielded the big stick again sacking embattled Aviation Minister and others.
The ministers are the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe and Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Jonathan, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said the ministers were dropped after they conveyed their decision to pursue political and other interests.
According to him, the President thanked them for their contributions to the transformation agenda and wished them well in their future endeavour.
Until substantive ministers are sworn in, he said that the President has directed the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom to take charge of Aviation Ministry, the Minister of State for Niger Delta, Isiaku Darius is to take charge of Niger Delta Ministry, Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will oversee her portfolio in addition to the one vacated by Ngama, while Minister of State FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide will take charge of Police Affairs Ministry.
He said: “The President announced further changes in the federal executive council. He said a number of ministers have been asked to step out of the federal executive council to pursue or further their own interests, some in politics and others in private focused. But mainly what the President did today was to allow ministers who have indicated interests in pursuing further goals in the polity and in the economy and in the life of the country, to be allowed to go.
“In announcing the acceptance of their decision to participate further in the polity, the President thanked them very sincerely for the great job they have done in helping the government realise a number of the goals that have been achieved under the transformation agenda. The President believes that they have done so well for the country, they have done so well for this administration. He was generally happy with what they have done, particularly in their various sectors to help the administration realise the goals that we see today in the results that we have arrived at under the transformation programme of the government.
Olubolade and Orubebe, who were in the chamber when the FEC meeting started, left the villa before the meeting ended.
While Oduah did not attend the meeting, Ngama only spoke in Hausa language to few journalists.
Maku also said that the President explained that his former Chief of Staff, Mike Oghiadomhe, was not sacked based on any corrupt malpractices but resigned for political reasons.
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