President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday said that he is confident in the “ability of the current crop of ministers to deliver and has no plan to undertake any replacement at the moment.”
The president in a press statement through his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati was reacting to an article published by the Moment Newspaper on Monday.
The newspaper article title “Jonathan to reshuffle cabinet” alludes that Mr Jonathan had sent names of some people to the State Security Service (SSS) for screening.
The paper reported that the list of people the president sent to the SSS for screening included former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okwesilieze Nwodo; former governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife; former Special Adviser on the Niger Delta, Timi Alaibe, former Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Hamisu Mai Rago; the immediate past acting National Chairman of the PDP, Kawu Baraje.
Others according to the Newspaper report are former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Rufai Alkali; former PDP National Organising Secretary, Uche Secondus; former Deputy Governor of Imo State, Ada Okwuonu and former PDP National Legal Adviser, Olusola Oke.
The president said that there is “there is also no truth in the alleged tension among ministers as a result of the rumoured imminent cabinet change.”
Mr Jonathan said that the newspaper report “is a calculated attempt to cause disaffection within the cabinet and divert the attention of members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) from their unwavering commitment to the implementation of the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan Administration.
“The speculation about cabinet change is the handiwork of mischief makers who seem bent on frustrating the good intentions of the Federal Government to deliver on the campaign promises of President Jonathan,” the statement read.
The newspaper also reported that the President will remove his National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Azazi and replace him with Ekpeyong Ita, the current Director-General of State Security Service.
