Why Buhari Is Yet To Form His Cabinet Weeks After Swearing-in

 

Peter Obi

Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to form his cabinet weeks after been sworn-in for a second term.

Mr Buhari, who was re-elected for a second term in office took the oath of office on May 29. He is yet to make any appointment since he began his second and final term as a democratic president.

When he was sworn-in for his first term in 2015, the president wasted approximately six months without ministers to help him pilot the affairs of the nation. His delay in forming his cabinet at the time is said to be responsible for the economic recession the financial management of the country went into the following year.

Political appointees of the president who worked with him during his first term are still discharging their duties which has forced a legal practitioner to seek redress in court if those whose tenure expired with that of the president could continue in office without being reappointed.

Opining why the Nigerian leader has not constituted his cabinet, the running mate of Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in this year’s presidential election, said the delay is because the president is not serious leader.

While citing elected leaders in other countries; Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, who formed their cabinet within weeks of being sworn-in, the former governor urged Mr Buhari to emulate them.

“These are serious leaders who are ready to move their countries forward. Imagine forming their cabinets within one week of being sworn in,” Mr Obi said while addressing in journalists in Lagos State at the weekend.

“Can you compare them with what is happening here in our country? I have always said it that for our country to move forward, it must change its current compass,” he said.

He said the problem of the country range from leadership failures to excessive borrowing with “nothing to show for all the borrowed funds.”

“What we have today in Nigeria is the cumulative effect of leadership failures. A leader must know his/her destination. Painfully, we have plenty bad role models masquerading as leaders.

“Nigeria is in total mess because of too much borrowing caused by leadership failures. Our situation will get worse if we do not solve these problems urgently. There is serious crisis in Nigeria because politics is now business and transactions. In fact, we have reduced our lives to transactions in Nigeria.

“Tell me, what is working in Nigeria today? A country where states owe billions and the federal government has borrowed over N11 trillion since coming into office and there is nothing to show for all the borrowed funds. Are you not worried that over 21 million of our youths are not employed?

“Nigeria is gradually collapsing and unemployment is part of the disease killing Nigeria. All hands must be on deck to help save our nation from these leadership failures,” he added.