Indication has emerged that President Muhammadu Buhari is weighing his options for a new cabinet ahead of the commencement of his second term in office, as he is keen on delivering on his campaign promises to Nigerians.
According to report by ThisDay, the president had promised that he would consolidate on the gains of his first term, particularly in the areas of security, fight against corruption and revival of the economy.
He is said to be poised on starting his second term on a fresh slate, sending home all the incumbent ministers except one or two of them.
President Buhari was criticized severally for not tinkering with his cabinet during his first term, even when it was obvious that many of them were so anonymous and under-performing, but the president kept faith with the ministers.
Sources close to the president quoted in the report, said the outcome of the presidential election, which though he won, was said to be an eye opener for the president, who is said to have come to terms with the reality of majority of Nigerians’ disillusionment with the performance of his administration.
“The president is not carried away by the euphoria of his victory at the poll. Rather, he is acutely aware that Nigerians seem not too impressed and he is determined to make amends,” one of them said.
According to him, “The president intends to do a clean sweep of the cabinet by gathering a new bunch that would help him deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.”
Subsequently, President Buhari is said to be considering dissolving his body of ministers by the middle of next month to pave the way for the appointment of fresh helmsmen.
Although the president is said to be looking at appointing more technocrats, many of the incumbent ministers have set up strong lobby to return to office. Presidential Villa sources said so intense is the lobby that the president and his key aides are worried that governance is suffering.
“Ministers would appear to have left their tasks and are now running around close associates of the president to help them keep their job,” a source said.
He, however, said the president is already compiling a list of such ministers, vowing to ensure that they do not make the next cabinet.
But, there are concerns that given the connections of some of the outgoing ministers, the president might not be able to withstand the pressure and might eventually return many of them.
A close presidential aide however, dismissed the insinuation, revealing that he is part of the president’s search team for what he called, “brilliant but experienced technocrats for the task of making the next term more meaningful and eventful for Nigerians.”
Also, unlike in 2015 when it took him about six months to show up with his list of ministers, the president is said to be determined to hit the ground running this time around.
“He plans to send his list of ministers to the Senate almost immediately it is convened in June,” a close associate said.
(ThisDay)
