PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari plans to publish his much-awaited list of ministers on Wednesday following the successful screening of his nominees by the security services.
Since assuming office on May 29, President Buhari has been governing without a cabinet as his attempts to compile a list of ministers has constantly hit a brick wall. He has repeatedly had to tear up lists and start again after investigations of candidates showed that several of them had been indicted for corruption.
Last week, however, it appeared that Buhari finally managed to compile a list of people who are untarnished and whose appointment will not make a mockery of his war against corruption. Among the public figures seen visiting the presidential villa that are expected to make the cabinet include Femi Falana, Pat Utomi, Charles Soludo and Abdulrahman Dambazau.
Also, several key members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who accompanied President Buhari to his current trip to the United Nations including Abike Dabiri-Erewa and Kayode Fayemi are expected to make the list. Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina, said Nigerians would not be disappointed as September, the date given for the announcement of members of his cabinet, remains sacrosanct.
APC national chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said that President Buhari meant well for the country and will do everything humanly possible to ensure good governance. However, it is believed that the president was under pressure to relax his tough standards for qualifying persons for positions in his planned cabinet to avoid alienating many members of his party.
Chief Odigie-Oyegun said: “There is no cause for alarm and we are confident the president will keep his promise. He will not disappoint Nigerians on his pledge to provide good governance for the enhancement of the nation.”
In preparation for the submission of the ministerial list to the senate by President Buhari he and former President Olusegun Obasanjo met on Friday at the United Nations Plaza in New York. It was widely rumoured that the discussion of the two men centred on the appointment of ministers in the Buhari government.
