TheCable

The minority caucus in the house of representatives says the sacking of two ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari is a “strategy” to divert attention from the shortcomings of his administration. 

On Wednesday, Buhari sacked Saleh Mamman, the minister of power; and Sabo Nanono, the minister of agriculture and rural development.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Ndudi Elumelu, minority leader of the lower chamber, said the president should “stop diversionary stunts” and focus on tackling the “worsening insecurity and excruciating economic hardship” in the country.

“The minority caucus in the house of representatives has dismissed the sack of two ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari as a diversionary strategy to divert public attention from the myriads of failures of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in the past six years,” the statement reads.

“The minority caucus and indeed majority of Nigerians are not swayed by the sack of the minister of agriculture and rural development, Mohammed Nanono and his power counterpart, Saleh Mamman when the inept and anti-people policies as well as the corruption and lethargic approach to governance that have become the hallmark of the administration remain.

“Instead of resorting to unprofitable diversionary stunts, the Minority caucus urges President Buhari to take decisive steps to address worsening insecurity and excruciating economic hardship by ending the incompetence, compromises, corruption, exclusionism and impunity in the system under his watch.

“The Minority caucus holds that governance requires commitment, demonstration of capacity, political willpower, transparency and broadmindedness at the topmost levels.”

The minority caucus asked the president “not to continue to stay aloof but to get into the arena by taking urgent steps to address the security issues as well as rejuvenate our nation’s economy and cohesiveness which are collapsing under his administration”.