Read major controversies around sacked ministers(FULL LIST)

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sacked five ministers from his cabinet as part of his ongoing shake-up of the federal government.

This decision follows earlier moves by the President to merge certain ministries and scrap others in an effort to streamline governance.

In addition to the sackings, Tinubu has reassigned 10 ministers to new portfolios and nominated seven new ministers for Senate confirmation.

These changes signal Tinubu’s determination to improve the performance of his administration and address critical challenges facing the country.

Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye

Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, a Nigerian lawyer, entrepreneur, politician, and film producer on topped the list of the major casualties of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s first cabinet reshuffle.

The now sacked minister of women affairs was involved in four major scandals. First was her threat to sue the United Nations over funds she alleged was mismanaged.

In August, the former Minister of Women Affairs disrupted two separate events organised “without her permission” in Abuja.

She also suggested that children should be employed in producing everyday items like toothpicks, matchboxes, cotton buds, and sanitary pads to expedite urban development. She was consequently accused of endorsing child labour and violating the rights of children which she denied, saying she only meant to empower schoolgirls with vocational training.

In May, Kennedy-Ohanenye filed a suit against the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, following his decision to marry off 100 orphans from his constituency.

The speaker had announced plans to marry off 100 orphans in his constituency as part of measures to alleviate their suffering. She later withdrew the suit, saying the ministry in collaboration with the speaker and traditional rulers from the state, were already investigating the ages of the girls to ascertain if they were within the stipulated age for marriage.

Prof Tahir Mamman

Prof. Mamman’s tenure was not without controversies. Reactions trailed his statement that the federal government was considering the adoption of 18 years as the entry age for admission into universities and other tertiary institutions of learning.

The development generated so much controversy that a 15-year-old Master Chinaemere Opara sued the Federal Ministry of Education, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Universities Commission (NUC) over the policy which seeks to limit admissions into Nigerian universities to applicants who attain the age of 18. Opara, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School (SSS) Student, filed the suit through his guardian, Mr. Maxwell Opara, his father and a lawyer, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday.

Lola Ade-John

The IT expert, banker and erstwhile minister of tourism was also among the ministers to lose their place on the president’s cabinet.

At this point, her dismissal can be attributed to the merger of the ministry of Tourism and the ministry of Arts and Culture to form the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative economy under the guidance of the current minister of Arts, Culture and creative economy led by Hanatu Musawa even though it might not be unconnected with her health situation.

It is left to be seen if she would eventually be reassigned to a new role under the president.

Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo

The erstwhile minister of state for Housing and Urban Development has had an almost invincible stint as a minister with his impact not really felt by Nigerians.

It is therefore not surprising he has been replaced by Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, former speaker of the Kano state house of Assembly.

Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim

The erstwhile minister for Youth Development has been relieved of her duties as part of the results of the performance review carried out by the president.

She is replaced by Ayodele Olawande, who was formerly Minister of state for youth development.