No fewer than seven more ministers are to be dropped “after needed consultations” a report linked to one of ‘President Goodluck Jonathan’s confidants has said.

The Abuja-based Nigerian Pilot had in the recent past reported that 18 ministers were to be dropped from the president’s cabinet. The paper is published by Dennis Sami, a long-time friend of President Jonathan who served as one of his aides right from his days as Vice President.

Jonathan about three weeks ago unceremoniously sacked Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa Abdulkadir, taking the number of dropped cabinet members to 10 yesterday with the dismissal of ministers Hadiza Mailafia (Environment); Ama Pepple (Housing); Shamshudeen Usman (National Planning); Ruquyatu Rufa’i (Education); Olugbenga Ashiru (Foreign Affairs); Ita Bassey-Ewa (Science and Technology); as well as ministers of state Buka Tijani (Agriculture); Zainab Kuchi (Power) and Erelu Olusola Obada (Defence).

•Photo shows Jonathan.