|By Adejumo Adekunle-
…APC chieftain says some ministers have failed on mandate
…Calls on Nigerians to demand accountability from governors
A former deputy campaign director for the late President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 election, Chief Ayiri Emami, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rejig his cabinet, saying several ministers have fallen short of expectations and failed to justify their appointments.
Emami, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), made the call over the weekend in Abuja. He urged the president to consider a major cabinet reshuffle, especially as his administration marks two years since the appointment of current ministers. According to him, such a move would not only inject new energy into governance but also help reposition the government for better service delivery.
“Some of the ministers have failed to deliver on the mandate of their offices,” he said. “President Tinubu would be doing himself and the country a lot of good if he reshuffles the cabinet now.”
While appealing to Nigerians for patience with the Tinubu-led administration, Emami stressed that it is unrealistic to expect a total turnaround in just four years. He, however, expressed optimism that things would significantly improve within the next two years.
Speaking on the recently increased federal allocations to all tiers of government, Emami advised Nigerians to pay closer attention to how their state governments utilise monthly disbursements from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), which rose to N1.818 trillion in June.
“Now that subsidy has been removed, the federal government’s revenue has increased and the money is being shared among the states,” Emami said. “But a lot of these governors are not helping the situation, and that puts all the pressure on the federal government.”
He criticised the governors for failing to meet the needs of their people, despite receiving huge allocations. He urged the federal government to closely monitor state spending to ensure the funds work for the people.
“It’s time Nigerians started asking their governors tough questions. They must be held accountable for the funds they receive,” he added.
Emami acknowledged efforts by the federal government to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal but insisted that blame should not be placed solely on the presidency, especially regarding citizens’ welfare. Instead, he urged Nigerians to focus on how well their state leaders are performing.
He also singled out the Minister of Works for praise, noting improvements in road infrastructure.
“If he can fix our roads, I think the Minister for Works is trying his best,” he said, while implying that other ministers may not be matching up in terms of performance.
