Tinubu axes right hand man

President Bola Tinubu has axed his right-hand man and minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy, Wale Edun.

Edun has worked closely with Tinubu for ages. He was appointed Lagos State commissioner of finance in 1999 when Tinubu was the governor. Prior to his appointment as minister, Edun was also the board chairman The Nation Newspaper owned by Tinubu. He held the ministerial position for 32 months before his ouster.

Edun’s sack was announced on Tuesday following a minor cabinet reshuffle in the membership of the Federal Executive Council approved by the president.

According to a memo signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, two cabinet members, Wale Edun and Ahmed Dangiwa, are to leave the cabinet while their replacements have been named.

He has been directed to hand over to Taiwo Oyedele, who is now to take over as minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy. Oyedele was formerly a minister of state in the ministry.

Also, Muttaqha Rabe Darma has been named as the ministerial nominee and minister designate for the Housing and Urban Development Ministry.

The memo also directed Dangiwa to hand over to the minister of state in the ministry.

The memo stated that all handover and takeover processes should be completed on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.

Explaining the president’s decision, Akume said: “These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda.”

He said the president, in approving the cabinet reshuffle, has fully exercised his powers as conferred on him by Sections 147 and 148 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended).

The president thanked the outgoing ministers for their services to the nation while wishing them the best in all their future endeavours.

The president, Akume noted, equally assured all cabinet members that the process of reinvigoration shall be continuous.