The Traffic

Tinubu Must Shake Up Cabinet or Risk 2027 — Nataro Warns

ABUJA — A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Kebbi governorship candidate, Mallam Salihu Isa Nataro, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently reshuffle his cabinet, warning that underperforming ministers could undermine the administration’s credibility and weaken its chances ahead of the 2027 elections.

Nataro, a public finance expert and policy reform advocate, said in Abuja on Monday that while Tinubu’s economic reforms are beginning to yield positive results, his vision is being dragged down by ministers who “do not understand his policy direction.”

Cabinet Deadwood Slowing Tinubu Down

“The President has recorded tremendous achievements on his own, without adequate complementary helping hands from his cabinet,” Nataro said. “About 85 per cent of them are simply sitting like dead horses in a jungle.”

He insisted that no minister should remain in office if their performance raises questions about government credibility. In a veiled reference to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Nataro suggested that Tinubu should not hesitate to redeploy him if security assessments show that his continued stay poses reputational risks.

Land Deals, Transparency and Foreign Investment

The APC stalwart further advised that Tinubu’s next FCT Minister should revisit controversial land allocations made under Wike to reduce public tension, stressing that transparency in land administration is vital as foreign investors renew interest in Nigeria.

“Things are looking up in the area of Foreign Direct Investment due to President Tinubu’s international engagements,” he said, adding that he was pleased the President had embraced his earlier proposals for domestic military hardware production and infrastructure expansion to ease economic pressures.

Food Security Over Military Spending

Nataro also urged the administration to prioritise food security, warning that excessive military expenditure risks alienating ordinary Nigerians. He recalled a recent tragic incident in Katsina where an Air Force bombing mistakenly killed villagers during a wedding.

“The masses who blame Tinubu for hunger do so largely because there is insufficient information about government policies reaching rural areas,” he said.

Governors, Corruption, and the Poverty Question

Turning to state governments, Nataro accused some governors of mismanaging increased federal allocations, leaving communities in poverty despite higher inflows from the centre.

“Some governors have refused to channel resources into critical projects, while the masses continue to wallow in poverty,” he lamented.

He commended business mogul Aliko Dangote for recalling Tinubu’s economic foresight during his tenure as Lagos governor — foresight, he noted, that contributed to the establishment of the Dangote Refinery.

Innovation, GMOs, and a Listening President

On the controversial debate over Genetically Modified Crops (GMOs), Nataro urged Nigerians to embrace science-driven innovation, warning against following Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, who rejected GMOs. According to him, supporting innovation is key to transforming Nigeria into a digital and knowledge economy.

He further advised Tinubu to entrench zero tolerance for corruption while paying attention to constructive voices like Sam Amadi, Bolaji Akinyemi, and Farooq Kperogi.

“Tinubu is a listening President,” Nataro said. “But he must act now. A reshuffled cabinet of competent technocrats and reform-minded politicians will energise the Renewed Hope Agenda and strengthen the case for continuity beyond 2027.”

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna