With President Bola Tinubu’s second anniversary in office just days away, preparations are underway for a performance review of his cabinet. The Central Results Delivery and Coordination Unit (CDCU), which tracks ministerial progress, is finalizing fresh scorecards assessing ministries’ performance in Q1 2025, sources within the presidency told The PUNCH.
The CDCU, led by Hadiza Bala-Usman, has verified submissions from various ministries uploaded to its secure portal, measuring achievements against the performance bonds signed at the October 2023 cabinet retreat. The updated assessment is expected on the President’s desk soon.
While no immediate reshuffle is anticipated, the report will inform future reviews and guide conversations with underperforming ministers. Insiders say most ministers scored average, with only a few—such as the Minister of Works—receiving above-average ratings.
“The report highlights weak performances across critical sectors. It will give the President clear insights as he plans for the remaining two years,” a senior aide said.
The CDCU was established in June 2023 to track key performance indicators and publish quarterly dashboards. At the November 2023 cabinet retreat, Tinubu vowed to retain only high-performing ministers, stating, “If you miss the objective, we’ll review it. If no performance, you leave us.”
The CDCU’s last report played a key role in the October 2024 cabinet reshuffle, which saw two ministers removed and several reassigned.
Despite efforts at performance tracking, opposition parties and civil society groups have criticized the administration. The PDP, NNPP, and Labour Party described the government as failing to deliver on its promises, citing widespread insecurity, economic hardship, and poor service delivery.
PDP spokesman Debo Ologunagba called the administration a “monumental failure,” accusing it of worsening conditions across all sectors. “This government has failed in security, the economy, and healthcare. The cabinet reflects the President’s leadership, which is lacking,” he said.
The NNPP’s Ladipo Johnson urged a cabinet overhaul, stating, “Nigeria cannot continue at this pace. The President needs new, dynamic hands.”
Labour Party’s Obiora Ifoh echoed the call, urging Tinubu to remove non-performing ministers and refocus on economic growth and national security.
Civil society voices also joined in. Debo Adeniran of the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership criticized performance in the education, health, and security sectors. “The rot in education and the state of public healthcare show that ministers are not delivering,” he said.
Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, noted that some ministers seem more focused on 2027 elections than governance. “Only a few are visibly working. Others are either invisible or just playing politics,” he said, also calling for the CDCU’s findings to be made public.
Though President Tinubu is not expected to announce changes before May 29, the report is expected to influence future cabinet decisions and potentially trigger another reshuffle.
Presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga downplayed the review’s urgency, describing it as “a routine to keep ministers and agency heads on their toes.”
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