Dino Melaye Tackles Tinubu Over Finance Minister Edun’s Sack

Former lawmaker representing Kogi West in the Senate, Senator Dino Melaye, has criticised the President Bola Tinubu over the recent removal of the Minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Wale Edun, from office, questioning the lack of transparency surrounding the decision.

LEADERSHIP reports that Edun and another cabinet member, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, who was the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, left the cabinet and their replacements announced on Tuesday without any reasons adduced.

But, reacting to the development, Melaye, who took to his verified Facebook page on Wednesday to fault the decision, insisted that governments in ‘civilised climes’ do explain the reasons behind the dismissal of top officials.

“Mr President, when Ministers are sacked in civilised climes, government must explain why they are sacked,” he wrote.

He further raised allegations of financial impropriety, stating, “Was the Minister of Finance removed because he could not cover up the stolen 24 billion dollars (34 trillion naira) diverted from our revenue? World Bank no dey lie.”

The comments followed the sudden removal of Wale Edun as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday evening, a move that caught many Nigerians by surprise.

In a statement issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, the presidency confirmed that President Tinubu approved the removal of Edun alongside the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, describing it as part of a minor cabinet reshuffle.

Following the development, the President immediately elevated the Minister of State for Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to serve as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

He also named Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for Housing and Urban Development.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Tinubu appointed Edun in August 2023 to oversee Nigeria’s fiscal policy and economic planning, resuming a working relationship that began in Lagos when Edun served as commissioner for finance from 1999 to 2004, during Tinubu’s governorship of the South-west state.

However, his administration faced widespread complaints over low capital budget releases and delays in budget planning, disruptions that have repeatedly affected Nigeria’s January-to-December fiscal cycle.

Particularly contentious was the slow disbursement of funds for capital projects, which drew sharp criticism from both ministers and lawmakers.

In February, federal lawmakers accused the former Minister of Finance of recording “zero implementation” of the 2025 capital budget, despite the National Assembly’s approval of a N1.15 trillion allocation for capital expenditure.

The lawmakers cited widespread complaints from ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), pointing to funding shortfalls and a backlog of unpaid contractors.

Opposition legislators also threatened to push for the removal of Edun and the Accountant-General of the Federation, citing what they described as a failure to deliver on promised capital releases.

In response, Edun defended the government’s fiscal approach, explaining that authorities had discontinued what he described as the “unsustainable” practice of “printing money” to fund contractor payments, opting instead to prioritise debt servicing.

He further maintained that about 80 per cent of the 2024 budget had been implemented, while assuring that releases for the 2025 capital budget were on track for completion by December 2025.