Wale Edun, the immediate former minister of finance resigned from his role as member of the federal executive council (FEC), the presidency has confirmed, dismissing speculations that the minister was sacked by the president.
Presidential spokeswoman Bayo Onanuga said in a statement on Wednesday that Dangiwa resigned and thanked President Bola Tinubu for giving him the chance to serve in the government, while Edun resigned due to recent illness.
“Former Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, duly tendered his resignation from office, citing health reasons, before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced his replacement on Tuesday”. the statement read partly.
The statement added that Edun, who recently turned 70 and has faced health challenges, submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, expressing appreciation to the President for the opportunity to serve.
The statement added, “It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda. Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected.”
Recall that the tone of the most recent statement is different from the one released the day before, which seemed to imply that the ministers had been dismissed. Recall that in that earlier statement titled ‘Tinubu approves minor cabinet reshuffle as Edun, Dangiwa leave FEC’, the Presidency said President Tinubu had approved a minor cabinet reshuffle.
The statement had read, “According to a memo signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, two cabinet members, Mr. Wale Edun and Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa are to leave the cabinet while their replacements have been named.”
Nevertheless, neither Edun nor Dangiwa’s resignation nor the fact that the reshuffle came after their resignations were accepted were mentioned in the 361-word statement.
Recall that ENigeria Newspaper reported in its investigation real reasons why the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy was sacked. In its reports, ENigeria Newspaper pointed to a series of reasons ranging from contradictory reports on revenue target between the president and the minister, friction between ministry officials, coordination problems, plans of the presidency for the new minister, Taiwo Oyedele, and speculated health issues that the former minister had.
Who succeded Wale Edun?
Taiwo Oyedele, just a few weeks after being appointed as Minister of State for Finance, Taiwo Oyedele has now been elevated to the position of Minister of Finance.
In his former role as Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Oyedele, an economist, chartered accountant, and public policy specialist, led initiatives to modernize Nigeria’s tax system and enhance revenue mobilization.
