http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=168973

The shock and consternation that greeted Wednesday’s dissolution of the federal cabinet was yet to wear out yesterday as the former ministers began handing over to the permanent secretaries in their ministries.

Former minister of interior Shettima Mustapha and his minister of state Ademola Seriki said the dissolution of the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF) was sudden and unexpected.

For some other ex-ministers, it was a different kettle of fish like former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister Adamu Aliero and his ex-minister of state Chuka Odum who seemed united in their last day in office.

Ex-minister of defence and chairman of the Presidential Committee on the Amnesty Programme, Major-Gen. Godwin Abbe, apologised to his former staff for occasionally shouting at them while in office.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said Acting President Goodluck Jonathan duly consulted it and received its blessing before the dissolution of the cabinet and is satisfied with the action.

“We are satisfied; we are very, very satisfied with the dissolution,” the party’s National Chairman Vincent Ogbulafor said.
Jonathan dissolved the 42-member EXCOF three days ago in a bid to reinvigorate the council that had been badly divided.
He gave no reasons for the dissolution, but Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media Ima Niboro said the move was to inject fresh blood and bring greater vigour to governance.

Speaking in Abuja when they handed over to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Mrs. Dere Awosika, the two former henchmen in the ministry said their sack took them unawares.

Mustapha said the council was shocked beyond words because the acting president never gave them any prior notice or briefing before dissolving the council.

“Since the man did not give us any notice, he only announced it yesterday, you can say he took us unawares, you can call it unexpected, whatever you want to call it,” he said.

On his stewardship, he noted that since he became a minister for the first time 20 years ago, he had learnt a lot of lessons especially in this dispensation where he served first as minister of defence before he was redeployed to the Ministry of Interior by ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Ogbulafor, who fielded questions from State House correspondents when he came to consult with Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, said being a PDP government, there was no way the acting president would have embarked on such a major decision without the knowledge of the party.

The PDP chairman also hinted that the party would play very critical role in the reconstitution of the cabinet.
Meanwhile, the dissolution of the cabinet has brought some ministers together as one.

On their last day of performing official functions together, the two ministers in charge of FCT admitted for the first time that they had differences, but that it was for the betterment of the city.
Odum, who spoke first, said every appointment is to serve and the change is good for democracy.

Aliero, who was FCT minister, said in the 15 months they were in office, they had revived abandoned projects with some already completed, done about 20 per cent of Abuja Light Rail awarded at $840 million, funded projects in the territory via the Public Private Partnership (PPP) and raised Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to N3.5 billion as against N500 million.
He also said in their 15 months in office, the administration was able to make remarkable impact in the health, education, security and transportation sectors as well as construction of roads and opening up of new districts.

Abbe apologised to the staff of the ministry for occasionally shouting at them during the course of work, blaming it on work pressure.

Abbe alongside his former minister of state, Alhaji Abdulrahman Adamu, at the handing over ceremony conducted at the Ship House said the nine months he was at the helms of affairs at the ministry brought to fore limitations of the Defence sector.
Pressed to throw more light on this, he merely said the office carried with it heavy pressure, especially his job as chairman of the Post-Amnesty programme.

“I was happy and grateful to the ministry for the way we handled the disarmament process especially. I was happy because no shot was fired to bring about the disarmament as directed by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua,” he said.
Former minister and minister of state for Education, Dr. Sam Egwu and Hajiya Aishatu

Jibril Dukku, who also handed over the affairs of the ministry to the Permanent Secretary, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, said the ministry should continue to strive hard to meet the challenges facing the sector by implementing the Roadmap for the Education, which he formulated within three months of his appointment.

Egwu said the focus should be on improving access to quality basic and secondary education, repositioning tertiary education to be globally competitive, as well as improving quality, access and standards of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) at formal and informal levels.
Egwu spent exactly one year and three months in office, while Dukku was there for two years and nine months.

More shockers (joker) ahead, afterall he has nothing to lose (2011). Thankz to the Governors' Forum.

Their sack is long overdue, like a pregnancy that is due and yet no delivery. At least, we know that the Ag. President has balls to call the shot now. Let me those noise makers who said he cannot fire them control the nation from their homes.

What we are waiting for now is the new cabinet members. Hope he won't recycle old brains like Rilwanu Lukman. Hope he will choose those that will help him place his mark in Nigerian history. We are really hoping that Obasanjo and Babangida won't choose whom he works with now.

If a Leader in Nigeria could be shocked, then a Nigeria that we all pray for is almost here, thanks to God

Fhemmmy:

If a Leader in Nigeria could be shocked, then a Nigeria that we all pray for is almost here, thanks to God

  Maybe. but Amen to that.   I will look at the cup as half full instead of half empty.

The word is not shock but suprize. They were suprized they had no time to cover the trail of mismanaged funds. But since the potential ministers would be cleared by the P.D.P I'm temptated to ask, "Will anything good come out of P.D.P?

which kind shock, the money wen u chop no reach? thief

It serves them right afterall none of the ex-ministers can boost of a meaningful achievment while in office.

chrisical:

It serves them right afterall none of the ex-ministers can boost of a meaningful achievment while in office.

Good talk. It is pathetic.

IF the Ag President can desolve the FEC members of the current President who "they say" is alive and well. . . .Dont you guyz think that Goodluck know something now that he didn't know before? ? ?

_{I think Ya'adua is DEAD!!!!}

tundewoods:

If an ex-minster is saying that one man shocked them,then i guess it is ok and acceptable but what about them, the entire minsters (FEC) who shocked over 140 million nigerians when they passed a vote of confidence in an already dead Yar'adua claiming he was not incapacitated.

on spot.

Ogbulafor, who fielded questions from State House correspondents when he came to consult with Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, said being a PDP government, there was no way the acting president would have embarked on such a major decision without the knowledge of the party.

On his part, Mr. Ogbulafor, who spoke to journalists, said the acting president will consult the party before constituting the new cabinet, adding that his visit was to brief him (the acting president) on party issues. "Who told you it is PDP government?" He asked. "PDP is the ruling party, what else do you want? The Acting President will consult us. He did the dissolution yesterday and we will give him time to do the consultation. I am in the State House to brief the acting president on party issues."

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5542891-146/speculation_mounts_over_new_cabinet_.csp

like ogbulafor, like aondoakaa. these guys speak from all 4 compass points of their mouths.

You guys dont know why they are saying this, so as to avoid post-service investigation, i look forward to the day when Nigeria govt will start investigating our ex-govf officials.

I am not sure that most of these ministers knows that Nigerians are not behind them at all

serves them right. bunch of incompetent fools,

i_am_model:

serves them right. bunch of incompetent fools,

Kaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii . . . .See anger

Jonathan 'shocked' u. Hmm. . . Well he also suprised 200million Nigerians by takin this shock move at a time we considered late.

I laugh in nairaland

Fooooools,especially that useless Adamu Aliero that jumped to hug Yar Adua's CSO in the exco chambers,a day after they sneaked back into the country

Unlike in developed countries where ex leaders will be relevant, productive outside politics, a great deal of our leaders, with the exception of the likes of Dora -  are completely useless  - in and out of office!

Thats why they're ready to die to hand on to their loot jobs. Completely useless and get paid handsomely for it  


Only in Nigeria!

SHOCKED
This has been long over-due.
The ministerial bunch consists majorly of the Unprepared, Unfit, Greedy, Double-talkers, Unproductive and all sort of characters.

My fear is, is it not from the same pool that the new ones will be picked from

brein:

Jonathan 'shocked' u. Hmm. . . Well he also suprised 200million Nigerians by takin this shock move at a time we considered late.

The sack of the former ministers is a welcome development.These unfortunate leaders took the whole country for granted.When they had the opportunity to make the country good most espicially during Yaaradua's health,they allowed personal interest to superceed national interest.And now they've been thrown out.My only worry is that Godluck Jonathan is not incharge of the country's as far as am concern.I dont think he will be able to do anything meaningful during the short period he will be in office.If he can ensure crediable election come 2011,i will be ok.

tundewoods:

If an ex-minster is saying that one man shocked them,then i guess it is ok and acceptable but what about them, the entire minsters (FEC) who shocked over 140 million nigerians when they passed a vote of confidence in an already dead Yar'adua claiming he was not incapacitated.

Good talk bro!!!

Dem wan die for dere? Na wah o!.

I wonder were Yaradua is?

Didnt they (the FEC) shock 140million Nigerians in their performance?

Its a welcome move but nigeria needs more than simple recycling of old failures who are called ministers

wazziri need to swing into action now ooo, b4 those idiots bribe their way

Good move by Goodluck Jonathan I pray he brings in Ministers who truly love the country and want to see it develop. We are tired of Ministers who are bereft of ideas and who only serve their own interests. I'm waiting to see what Jonathan will do next. Cheers.

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