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Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia South has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent cabinet reshuffle, stating that it reflects what Southeast residents call “renewed shege” (suffering) rather than progress.
His remarks followed Tinubu’s decision to remove five ministers, appoint seven new ones, and reassign 10 others.
Notably, Uju-Ken Ohanenye, the former Minister of Women Affairs, was relieved of her duties, and Bianca Ojukwu stepped in as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
“For my constituents, nothing has changed,” Abaribe told Arise TV.
“They don’t refer to it as ‘Renewed Hope’ but rather as ‘Renewed Shege,’” he remarked, voicing dissatisfaction over what he perceives as a lack of advancement for the Southeast region.
Abaribe criticised Tinubu for allegedly breaching the Federal character principle, a constitutional mandate requiring fair representation across Nigeria’s regions.
According to Abaribe, this reshuffle failed to address Southeast's concerns of equity and inclusivity.
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“The president has breached it for the last 18 months,” he said. “We thought these changes would ease the concerns of people from the South East.”
Expressing Southeast frustration, he asserted that the region’s desire for “fairness and equity” remains unmet in the constitution.
Abaribe insisted, “Treat us as you are treating everybody else,” lamenting that recent appointments appeared only to sustain, not remedy, the status quo.
The senator’s criticism highlights ongoing regional discontent, with calls for improved federal representation and a more inclusive approach.