Edun, Dangiwa resigned, not sacked — Presidency clarifies

…Ex-Finance Minister cites health reasons

…Tinubu urges successor Oyedele to deepen reforms

The Presidency on Wednesday clarified that former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, and former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, voluntarily resigned from the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and were not sacked.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said Edun tendered his resignation on health grounds ahead of the announcement of his replacement by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Edun, who turned 70 on Monday and has reportedly battled recent ill health, submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, expressing gratitude to the President for the opportunity to serve.

“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. I wish you and the administration every success in the future”, he wrote.

The statement disclosed that the former minister also paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, where he held an hour-long meeting before departing to focus on his private business interests.

READ ALSO; Nnezi Uduma-Olugu: Meet first female Professor of Architecture at UNILAG

Similarly, Dangiwa was said to have resigned his appointment and thanked the President for the opportunity to serve in the cabinet.

Before his appointment as minister in August 2023, Dangiwa, an architect, had served as Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria between 2015 and 2022, and as Secretary to the Katsina State Government.

Edun, an economist and investment banker, previously served as Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State between 1999 and 2004 during Tinubu’s tenure as governor.

He also worked with the World Bank and co-founded Investment Banking & Trust Company Limited (now Stanbic IBTC), among other professional engagements.

President Tinubu, according to the statement, expressed deep appreciation to both former ministers for their dedicated service and contributions to his administration’s economic reform agenda.

He also charged the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal objectives with “renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.”

The President is expected to forward the name of a ministerial nominee for the Housing and Urban Development Ministry, Mr Muttaqha Rabe Darma, to the Senate for confirmation in the coming days.

"President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.

"In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.

"President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation", the statement said.