The Presidency has clarified that the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not dismissed.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that Edun tendered his resignation on health grounds before President Bola Tinubu announced his replacement on Tuesday.
Onanuga also stated that Dangiwa similarly resigned from the Federal Executive Council and expressed gratitude to the President for the opportunity to serve.
Following Edun’s resignation, he was directed to hand over to Taiwo Oyedele, while Dangiwa was directed to hand over to Muttaqha Rabe Darma.
According to the statement, Edun—who turned 70 on Monday and has recently battled ill health—submitted his resignation letter on his birthday. In the letter, he thanked the President for the opportunity to serve in the administration.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the Presidency said the letter read.
“Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient, and more internationally respected.
“I wish you and the administration every success in the future.”
Onanuga further disclosed that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation formally announced his exit from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa. He reportedly held an hour-long meeting with President Tinubu before leaving to focus on his private engagements.
Dangiwa, an architect, previously served as Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria between 2015 and 2022, and also served as Secretary to the Katsina State Government before his appointment as minister in August 2023.
Edun, an economist and investment banker, previously served as Lagos State Commissioner for Finance between 1999 and 2004 during the administration of then Governor Bola Tinubu.
Earlier in his career, he worked at Chase Merchant Bank in Lagos from 1980 to 1986 before joining the World Bank in 1986 through its Young Professionals Programme, where he worked on economic and financial packages for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In 1989, he co-founded Investment Banking & Trust Company Limited (now Stanbic IBTC) and later served as executive director. In 1994, he founded Denham Management Limited, now part of the Chapelhill Denham Group, where he served as chairman from 2008 to 2021.
The statement added that President Tinubu has expressed appreciation to both former ministers for their service and contributions to the administration’s economic reform agenda and wished them success in their future endeavours.
It further noted that the President has directed the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the government’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.
President Tinubu is also expected to forward the nomination of Muttaqha Rabe Darma from Katsina State to the Senate for confirmation as Minister of Housing and Urban Development.