As President Bola Tinubu marks his second year in office, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), has called on the President to urgently remove underperforming ministers and security chiefs to address growing insecurity and economic dissatisfaction in the country.
In an interview on Politics Today with Channels Television’s Seun Okinbaloye on Monday, the former Abia State governor urged President Tinubu to show political will and decisiveness in reshuffling his cabinet and security leadership.
“Both security chiefs and ministers, some of them should go. President Tinubu must be courageous enough to sack some of these ministers,” Kalu said.
He revealed that he had previously advised the president in private about individuals he believes have failed to meet expectations in their roles. Although he declined to mention names, Kalu emphasized that competence—not personal loyalty—should guide appointments and dismissals.
“If he will take my advice, most of these ministers I have apprised of, and I’ve talked to him privately, some of them should go.
“If he (President Tinubu) will take my advice, some of these security chiefs should go. There must be no sentiment when it comes to redeeming Nigeria.”
Kalu also attributed the country’s worsening security situation, especially in rural and farming communities, to politically motivated sabotage. He claimed that certain elite interests were deliberately stirring unrest to undermine the Tinubu administration and position themselves for power.
“The insecurity in Nigeria is politically induced by politicians and businessmen. Some of them are not even looking for money, they just want to grab power,” he alleged.
The senator further criticized the widespread use of U.S. dollars in Nigeria’s real estate and informal sectors, warning that it undermines the naira and weakens economic control.
“The use of dollar bills on the street should stop. Landlords and estate agents using dollars as exchange should not happen in Nigeria. If we want to survive, we must take control of our currency,” he warned.
Kalu suggested that Nigeria should take a cue from countries like South Africa, India, and the UK, where foreign currency use is tightly regulated.
While acknowledging the severe hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians, Kalu argued that Tinubu’s economic reforms are headed in the right direction. He cited improvements in macroeconomic indicators such as exchange rate stability and increased industrial capacity utilization, though he admitted these changes have not yet translated to relief for most citizens.
“The macro side is coming up, but Nigerians in the lower area are still suffering. These changes are still trickling down; it’s going to take another one to two years,” he said.
Calling for patience, unity, and national focus, Kalu urged Nigerians to support the administration’s long-term vision, drawing parallels with reform-era Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew.
“We are all friends, Tinubu, Atiku, Amaechi, we were all governors together. Let’s come together and think about the man on the street,” he appealed.
— AFP
