The Federal Government has clarified that former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, were not sacked but voluntarily resigned from their positions.
This clarification was made on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in a State House press release issued by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
The statement comes a day after the government, in an earlier release signed by Yomi Odunuga, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, announced that Edun and Dangiwa “are to leave the cabinet while their replacements have been named,” without indicating that they had resigned.
What they are saying
According to the new statement, Edun stepped down from his role on health grounds before his replacement was announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
- “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 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.
- “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.”
Similarly, the government said Dangiwa also resigned his position and thanked the President for the opportunity to serve in the Federal Executive Council.
Get up to speed.
The latest statement differs in tone from the one issued a day earlier, which appeared to suggest that the ministers were removed from office.
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.
- “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.”
However, the 361-word statement did not state that either Edun or Dangiwa had resigned, nor did it indicate that the reshuffle followed the acceptance of their resignations.
What you should know
The development also saw the elevation of Taiwo Oyedele as the new Minister of Finance, coming just weeks after he was nominated as Minister of State for Finance.
Oyedele is an economist, chartered accountant, and public policy expert who previously served as Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, where he led efforts to overhaul Nigeria’s tax system and improve revenue mobilisation.
Meanwhile, Muttaqha Rabe Darma has been named as the ministerial nominee for the Housing Ministry. Darma, from Katsina State, like Dangiwa, is expected to be forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
