I Will Appoint Ministers In September – PMB

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has explained his resolve to appoint his ministers and other cabinet members in September.
According to him, it would be careless and irresponsible of him if, as a leader, he hurriedly appoints members of his cabinet without putting new rules of governance in place.
He also indicated that his newly appointed service chiefs will relocate from Abuja to Borno State until the war against Boko Haram is won.
Buhari, who stated this in an opinion article he wrote for the Washington Post, a United States newspaper, to coincide with his meeting with President Barack Obama in Washington DC yesterday, recalled that even the US president took several months before appointing his ministers.
“When cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will be some 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.
Buhari asserted that his determination to introduce a new culture of leadership should not be underestimated, including instilling good governance and tackling the scourge of corruption that has held Nigeria back for too long.
“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.
“So the path we must take is simple, even if it is not easy: First, instil rules and good governance; second, install officials who are experienced and capable of managing state agencies and ministries; and third, seek to recover funds stolen under previous regimes so that this money can be invested in Nigeria for the benefit of all of our citizens”, he noted.
The president further noted that as he would be discussing his plans for reforms with Obama yesterday, he will discuss why the formation of his administration was “taking time and, crucially, why it must.
“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.”
“Already, there are voices saying these changes are taking too long — even though only six weeks have passed since my inauguration. I hear such calls, but this task cannot and should not be rushed,” he added.
In the article, he addressed some of the fundamental challenges facing his presidency, including moves against Boko Haram, replacement of service chiefs as well as the kind of partnership he is seeking from United States in fighting terrorism, corruption and improving investment climate.
Buhari noted that the failure of governance in Nigeria had been because of the country’s inability to defeat Boko Haram “as have been issues with the military campaign itself.
On the service chiefs, the President said, “Our new military leadership has not been chosen because of their familiarity with those in government, as was too often the case in the past, but on their track records and qualifications alone.
“These new military leaders will be based in Borno State in northern Nigeria, where the headquarters of the armed services has been relocated. This shift of resources and command directly to the front line, in addition to the replacement of the head of the State Security Service, Nigeria’s intelligence organization, and a new emphasis on working in partnership with our neighbours, have equipped us to take the fight directly to Boko Haram.”
Buhari added that, already, Nigeria was beginning “to see a degrading of Boko Haram’s capabilities as a fighting force”, adding that in recent weeks, the insurgents appeared “to have shifted away from confronting the military directly, to an increase in attacks on civilian areas, as we saw only last week when an elderly woman and 10-year-old girl blew themselves up at a Muslim prayer gathering in north-eastern Nigeria.
“We should not be confused by this change, hateful as it is: It does not mean that Boko Haram is succeeding in its aims; it shows that it is losing”, he stated.
The Nigerian president also sought understanding and patience in the war against Boko Haram, saying although the war may not be easy or immediately won, he was certain that normalcy would be restored.
He said, “While we work to defeat the terrorists, I ask the people of Nigeria and the world for resolve and fortitude. The campaign we will wage will not be easy; it may not be swift.
“We should expect stages of success and also moments when it may appear that our advances have been checked. But no one should have any doubt as to the strength of our collective will or my commitment to rid this nation of terror and bring back peace and normalcy to all affected areas.”