President Bola Tinubu last night responded to critics who described his cabinet as “bloated” by saying he is not prepared to reduce the size of his 48-man cabinet.
Speaking during his first presidential media chat, which took place at his Bourdillon residence in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos State, the President said: “I am not ready to shrink the size of my cabinet.”
Defending his stance the former Lagos governor argued that “efficiency” has been at the core of his selection of ministers. The All Progressives Congress (APC) leader also said he has no regret removing the petrol subsidy in May 2023, insisting the nation cannot continue to be ‘Father Christmas’ to neighbouring countries.
“I don’t have any regrets whatsoever in removing petrol subsidies. We are spending our future, we were just deceiving ourselves, that reform was necessary,” he told the reporters interviewing him.
Speaking further he said: “Why should you have expenditures that we don’t have revenue for? “We should teach management in all our programmes, we have to manage our resources.
“There is no way you give out fuel and allow all the entire neighbouring countries as Father Christmas. I don’t have any regrets whatsoever about removing the subsidy. It is necessary.
“We cannot spend our future generation investments upfront.” Tinubu appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, three months after his inauguration.
The Senate immediately screened and confirmed the ministers. One of the ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended in January while another, Simon Lalong, moved to the Senate.
There were calls for the President to reshuffle his cabinet as many Nigerians have not been impressed by the performance of some of the ministers, especially in the face of unprecedented inflation, excruciating economic situation and rising insecurity.
In October 2024, Tinubu reassigned 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios and appointed seven new ministers for Senate confirmation.
He also sacked five of his ministers but critics insist that the President’s cabinet remains large, especially with the creation of a Livestock Ministry with a minister.
When asked about the recent palliative stampedes in parts of the country that resulted in the loss of lives, the President attributed the tragedies to poor organisation.
“It is very sad that people are not well organised. We just have to be disciplined. My condolences to those who lost their family members,” he said.
On the issue of the Tax Reform Bills, which have generated so much controversy especially from a section of the country, President Tinubu emphatically said they have come to stay, insisting that the economy cannot be revived with the “old broken book.”
“Tax reform is here to stay; we cannot just continue to do what we were doing years to years in today’s economy. We cannot retool this economy with the old broken books, and I believe I have that capacity that is why I went into the race,” Tinubu said.
“I am focused on what Nigeria needs and what I must do for Nigeria, it is not just going to be eldorado for everybody, but the new dawn is here, I am convinced, and you should be convinced.
“The hallmark of a good leader is the ability to do what you have to do at the time it ought to be done.” Tinubu said those calling for more consultations on the tax reform bills will still do so even if he delays the presentation of the proposed legislation.
On October 3, Tinubu forwarded four tax reform bills to the National Assembly. The proposed Tax Reform Bills generated a lot of controversies since its introduction at the National Assembly, meeting serious resistance especially from the Northern part of the country.
Following the controversies the bills have generated, the National Economic Council had advised President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the bills to allow for further consultations, but he had refused and said that the bills should go through the necessary legislative processes.
Commenting on the electricity tariffs which many complain is on the high side, the President advised Nigerians to step up their management skill in reducing their bills. “It’s not negative to learn to manage.
You learn to control your electricity bill, switch off the light, let’s learn to manage,” Tinubu said. President Tinubu also said he does not believe in price control and he will not go down that path. “I don’t believe in price control, we will work hard to supply the market,” he said.
Since coming to power last year, food and commodity inflation have skyrocketed as Nigerians battle what can pass for the worst cost of living crisis since the country’s independence over six decades ago but Tinubu insisted that his reforms are necessary to set the country on the path of prosperity.
He said: “2025 is a very promising year. Let me thank Nigerians for having confidence in me to be the president of the federal Republic of Nigeria. I’m very proud of that.
“I don’t want you to think that I will take it for granted at any given time. It is all about service. I will do it with all my heart. I seek your cooperation all the time.”
He further sought the understanding of Nigerians in taking the country to a glorious dawn. He said: “I seek your understanding, I understand the trouble you’ve been through.
The economic problems. “It is just 18-month I’ve taken the reign. We’ll maintain focus. Let’s believe in ourselves and in our country, tomorrow will bring a glorious dawn.”
