Ministerial List: Buhari Looking For Only People He Personally Knows

By Funmi Olakunle

Expectations that President Muhammadu Buhari would soon name his cabinet were on Thursday dismissed when the president begged for more time to propose only those he personally knows as his ministers.

He made the clarification at a dinner for the new National Assembly leadership in the Presidential Villa.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan speaking after the dinner denied claims that he insisted that the ministerial list was being expected this week as he said his assertion was only in the realm of probability.

Noting that he was under much pressure on the ministerial list, a source at the dinner quoted the president as saying he was determined this time to bring only those he personally knew into his cabinet.

“I’m under tremendous pressure on it. But the last cabinet which I headed, most of them, the majority of them I didn’t know them. I had to accept the names and recommendations from the party and other individuals.

“I worked with them for three and half years at least – meeting twice or two weeks in a month. So I know them.

“But, this time around I’m going to be quite me, me in the sense that I will pick people I personally know.”

Responding to reports that he said the president would be sending the ministerial list this week, Lawan said:

 “I never did. Let me take this opportunity to correct that. A senator raised a point of order under personal explanation and he said we (the senate) should be sent the list of ministers by the executive arm of government.

“And in my response I said the executive is working so hard to ensure that the list of Nigerians that will help this Administration work is going to be constituted, we could even receive it this week.

“Could is conditional and I will urge everybody here to report it as it is.”

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