Why? Jonathan sacks Gen Martin Luther Agwai (SURE-P Chairman), appoints Akau new SURE-P chairman

Tension as President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday sacked Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd.) as the Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.

He has named Mr. Ishaya Dare Akau as Agwai’s replacement.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President attributed Agwai’s sack to the continuation of his efforts to continuously reposition Federal Government’s agencies for optimal delivery.

The former Chief of Army Staff had, while delivering a lecture in commemoration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s 78th birthday on Thursday, said change in leadership was inevitable, declaring that the country’s leaders must accept it and move with it.

“In life, you find out that everything needs change, if that is what the community wants, what the people want, you must give it to them and as such, it becomes inevitable.

“You can have everything nice, but if you don’t have the right leadership to propel it, it cannot go anywhere. Integrity matters, doing what is good for the larger society, and not just what you want to do for a narrow society to please yourself,” Agwai had said in his lecture titled “Imperatives of a national security framework for the development and progress of Nigeria.”

Abati’s statement on Agwai’s sack read, “In furtherance of his efforts to continuously re-energise and reposition agencies of the Federal Government for optimal service delivery, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has appointed Mr. Ishaya Dare Akau as the new Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.

“Mr. Akau, whose appointment takes immediate effect, replaces Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd.), who served as Chairman of the SURE-P until today (Tuesday).

“The new SURE-P Chairman hails from Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State and holds Bachelors’ Degrees in Arts and Law.

“Mr. Akau comes to the job with years of experience as a high-level administrator in the nation’s public service. His record of service includes tenures as Chairman of the Kaduna State Universal Education Board and Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission.

“President Jonathan thanks the outgoing Chairman of SURE-P, Gen Agwai, for his service to the nation and wishes him well in his future endeavours.”

Jonathan had on February 2014 appointed Agwai to replace the pioneer SURE-P chairman, Chief Christopher Kolade, who resigned his appointment.

As the deputy chairman, he had acted as acting chairman before the President confirmed his appointment.