President Muhammadu Buhari has concluded plans for a major overhaul of his administration, reliable sources inform.
According to the PUNCH, the sources, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, said the changes were going to be ‘earth-shattering’ because a few of the President’s powerful aides and prominent members of the administration would be affected.
It was also revealed that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is likely to be affected by the changes.
A senior government official, who preferred anonymity said, “In the next few weeks, we are entering the second half of this administration. I can tell you that a major cabinet reshuffle is on the way.
Ministerial vacancies for Kogi and Gombe states would be filled, while there would also be an exchange of portfolios.
“Some junior ministers, whose relationships with their senior counterparts are not smooth would also be redeployed.”
A source within the administration, who is privy to the details of the planned changes, said the country would soon witness greater synergy between the President and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
The source added that under the new scheme of things, the President intended to assign more important national duties to Osinbajo.
Buhari, who will resume duty on Monday after a 49-day medical vacation in London, is said to have been very impressed by what a source in government described as the ‘performance, competence and loyalty’ of the Vice President, who served as Acting President while he was away.
The source indicated that the President will be delegating more important duties to the Vice-President as time goes on.
“The President and the Vice President have always been on the same page. They are close. He likes to delegate tasks to the VP. However, not much could be done in the past because of the interference of some people close to the President.
The President is determined to remove those who interfere so that his administration can build on its recent strides,” the source, who is a senior government official, said.
It was also disclosed that besides the filling of the vacant cabinets, some ministerial portfolios will be re-assigned and redistributed.
He said besides measuring the performance of each cabinet member, the President would also examine the relationship between senior and junior ministers.