Buhari: I will Not Appoint Ministers Until September
He urged Nigerians to be patient with his administration because, according to him, all things become difficult before they become easy.
Buhari also said that his decision to keep the appointments of ministers till September is similar to the decision taken by President Obama when he assumed office in his first tenure.
Buhari said, “When cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will become months after I took the oath of office. It is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full cabinet in place for several months after first taking office.
“The United States did not cease to function in the interim. In Nigeria’s case, it would neither be prudent nor serve the interests of sound government to have made these appointments immediately on my elevation to the presidency, instead, Nigeria must first put new rules of conduct and good governance in place.”
“When cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will be some months after I took the oath of office,” President Buhari added.
“It is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full cabinet in place for several months after first taking office; the United States did not cease to function in the interim.
“In Nigeria’s case, it would neither be prudent nor serve the interests of sound government to have made these appointments immediately on my elevation to the presidency; instead, Nigeria must first put new rules of conduct and good governance in place.
“I cannot stress how important it is to ensure that this process is carried out correctly, just as it has been crucial to first install the correct leadership of the military and security services before we fully take the fight to Boko Haram.”
Since its independence, he said, Nigeria has too few examples where it can be said that good management and governance were instituted at national level.
He said it was lack of governance framework and real checks and balances that allowed many past leaders to plunder the country.
Buhari said the fact that he now seeks Mr. Obama’s assistance in locating and returning $150 billion in funds stolen in the past decade and held in foreign bank accounts on behalf of former corrupt officials is testament to how badly Nigeria had been run.
Mr. Buhari, however, vowed that the era of corruption and impunity in the conduct of government business in Nigeria was over.
s has been relocated,” the President said.
To tackle the situation, he said, his government would first instill rules and good governance, followed by the installation of experienced and capable officials to manage state agencies and ministries.
Thirdly, he said his administration would seek to recover funds stolen under previous regimes so that they could be invested in Nigeria for the benefit of the citizenry.
“I was elected on a platform of change. I know this is what the people of Nigeria desire more than anything else,” President Buhari said.
“I know they are impatient for action. I realize the world waits to see evidence that my administration will be different from all those that came before. Yet reforming my country after so many years of abuse cannot be achieved overnight.
“In our campaigns against both Boko Haram and corruption, we should remain steadfast and remember, as it is said: Have patience. All things become difficult before they become easy.”
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