Day 30: Buhari’s Government on Standstill

Day 30: Buhari’s Government on Standstill

The delay by President Muhammadu Buhari to make key appointments thirty days after assumption of office is taking a serious toll on governance in Nigeria.

Apart from naming one protocol official: Lawal Kazaure (State Chief of Protocol), Ahmed Idris (Accountant General of the Federation) and two media aides: Femi Adesina (Special Adviser, Media and Publicity) and Garba Shehu (Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity), Mr. Buhari is yet to make any other key appointment. In addition to these appointments is the oddity of Buhari’s appointment of Laolu Akande as Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

It is surprising that a President who was elected about three months ago and should have long decided on key appointees, now claims he is bidding his time to avoid making mistakes.

Buhari’s delay in filling important government positions, especially the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has affected the smooth running of government businesses. It’s 30 days of President Buhari in power and Abuja still stands like a deserted and dysfunctional capital.

Nigeria is too big and important to all collective citizen stakeholders for one man in the office of President to run the country like a Banana Republic. Buhari should now without further delay make these vital appointments in order to get the nation running smoothly.

Announcing the dissolution of the Board of NNPC which already stood dissolved the moment the previous government left office is not a progressive report much less an achievement.

Since his assumption of office, Nigerians have been inundated with complaints and excuses of a looted treasury. Buhari is the President and Commander-in-Chief. The anti-corruption agencies of Government are under his watch. This is the job he wanted and Nigerians gave him the mandate. He should sit up and act like a President!

There are one million reasons why Nigeria as a nation should not function like a decent society. President Buhari should not allow himself become one of those reasons. History will not judge him kindly.

-Breaking Times Editorial