Report: Tinubu Allegedly Asks Finance Minister to Resign Over Underperformance

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly asked the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to voluntarily resign his position. Despite their decades-long political alliance dating back to Tinubu’s tenure as Governor of Lagos State, the President has grown increasingly dissatisfied with Edun’s management of the nation’s fiscal affairs.

According to sources within the presidency, the move to offer Edun a “soft landing” through resignation is intended to protect his public reputation. However, the President has already taken steps to curtail Edun’s authority by transferring major responsibilities—including budget execution, revenue mobilization, and contractor payments—to the Minister of State for Finance, Mrs. Doris Uzoka Anite.

Key Drivers Behind the Rift are said to be Protracted delays in paying federal contractors under the 2024 and 2025 budgets reportedly caused significant financial distress for indigenous firms and embarrassment for the presidency.

Tensions allegedly flared over Edun’s involvement in commercial arrangements that did not receive presidential approval as well as concerns about Edun’s effectiveness which reportedly date back to 2024, when the President first considered bringing in tax expert, Taiwo Oyedele to fill perceived gaps in the ministry.

In a bid to save his job, Edun is reportedly reaching out to influential figures close to the President. Chief among them is Chief Bisi Akande, a prominent elder statesman who recently successfully intervened on behalf of Sunday Dare. Edun is banking on Akande’s ability to persuade the President to reconsider, much like he did when Dare was brought back into the fold as a Special Adviser after a period of estrangement.

While Edun seeks a political lifeline, the day-to-day operations of the Finance Ministry have already shifted. With Mrs. Uzoka Anite now wielding the levers of fiscal authority, the administration is moving to stabilize revenue streams and expedite payments.

Observers view this internal shakeup as a major recalibration of Tinubu’s economic team at a critical time for Nigeria’s financial stability.

Neither the Presidency nor Wale Edun has issued an official statement regarding the reported request for resignation.