Nigerian President Jonathan Sacks Ministers Amid Party Divisions

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan sacked nine ministers on Wednesday in his first major cabinet reshuffle, as he looked to rally support in an increasingly divided ruling party.

The dismissals, which did not impact key finance and oil positions, come less than two weeks after seven ruling party governors and a former presidential candidate formed a splinter group opposed to Jonathan.

The split within the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), which has been in power since shortly after the end of military rule in 1998, is centered around Jonathan's assumed plan to run again in 2015, although he has not declared his intentions.

Jonathan removed the ministers of foreign affairs, education, science and technology, housing and urban development, national planning, and environment, a presidency spokesman said.

The junior "ministers of state" for power, agriculture and defense were also dismissed.

"He said he needed to inject new blood for more service delivery, hence the need to adjust his cabinet," Information Minister Labaran Maku told reporters.

Other ministers will take on the responsibilities of the vacant positions until Jonathan decides on replacements.

"Since these positions are not of huge policy significance it appears to be more of a political play than a change of economic direction," said Clement Nwankwo, a political analyst at the Abuja-based Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre.

However, Maku denied Jonathan was using the reshuffle to bring more of his core supporters into his cabinet.

"It is part of the process of improving service delivery and not with any political undertone," Maku said.