It appears President Muhammadu Buhari is withholding the list of his second term ministerial nominees as Senate President Ahmad Lawan is yet to receive the list despite the composition of the principal officers of the Senate, Daily Independent has gathered.

This is as President Buhari said on Tuesday that following challenges of insecurity, poverty and unemployment, he will require a formidable team of experts to help deliver his Next Level promises to Nigerians

President Buhari, while meeting with the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) and Buhari Support Group led by their chairmen, Omoniyi Akinsiju and Umaru Dembo, respectively, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, told the groups that he is prepared to sacrifice political patronage to select the best ministers this time around.

“We will serve honestly, genuinely, and with our heart and might. Our country has oscillated for too long at the level of promises and potentials. It is now time to explore and exploit the potentials for the good of all Nigerians, particularly the ordinary people. It shall be accomplished,” he said.

Continuing, he said, “While there will be those who are determined to drag us back to the bad old days, your visit is timely. It is exactly a month ago that I was sworn in for a second term in office. The task ahead for the four years will require a formidable team.”

Some ranking lawmakers in the Senate had said they were expecting President Buhari to submit a list of ministers that would form his Federal Executive Council before or by July 2.

The lawmakers have hinged their hope on the fact that after resumption from recess on July 2, they would be sitting for three weeks and would likely proceed on their annual end of session holiday at the end of July to reconvene in September.

However, speaking with Daily Independent on Tuesday, a ranking senator from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said he left the office of the Senate President by 6:30p.m on Tuesday and that no list had been brought forward by the presidency.

“I am very close to the Senate President and I can categorically tell you that he has not received any list from Mr. President. I left his office about 10 minutes ago and he is yet to receive any list,” he said.

Efforts to reach the president’s spokespersons, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, proved abortive as calls made to their lines were not answered.

Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate), promised to get back to our correspondent but he was yet to do so as at press time.

Also, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, disclosed that the list would be ready after the National Assembly completes its leadership processes.

“Mr. President is working on his list or must have concluded. He mentioned in his Democracy Day broadcast that he is going to assemble competent Nigerians to help him implement his programmes.

“He was inaugurated on May 29. We had the Democracy Day celebration on June 12. It was a choked-up programme as we had to work towards the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly because there is nothing you can do if their leadership does not emerge.

“So far, we have part of the leadership that has emerged. The other part will emerge after they return from their recess.

“They are reconvening on July 2 and it is when they reconvene that we expect they will finish other complements of their leadership.

“There are other key officers needed in the introduction of an executive bill. You don’t go directly to the Senate President; you only write to him.

“It is the majority leader, who represents the party in the Senate, that has the responsibility of introducing the bill, and he has received the list, too.

“I believe that within the month of July, he will submit the list. It is then up to the Senate to do the needful and conclude the exercise.

“I keep emphasising that if you have a very good leadership in the National Assembly, these things can be finished in a period of one week or two,” the SGF said.

Sources, however, told our correspondent that the ministerial list may be forwarded soon as the president had on Monday invited the two Senior Special Assistants in charge of National Assembly Matters, Ita Enang (Senate) and Umar Yakubu (House of Representatives), to a closed door meeting.

Also on Tuesday, Buhari said he was no longer going to offer Nigerians promises but concentrate on delivering good governance, having secured a second term.

He said the outcome of the 2019 elections was a reflection of where the interest of Nigerians lay, and having received the mandate for a second term, he would not disappoint the people.

He said his administration would serve honestly and genuinely, with a focus on exploring and exploiting the potentials of the country for the good of all Nigerians, particularly the ordinary people.

“The 2019 elections are behind us. Nigerians have spoken, and they have spoken loudly in our favour. It is now time to serve them, and serve well. We will not fail.

“We will serve honestly, genuinely, and with our heart and might. Our country has oscillated for too long at the level of promises and potentials. It is now time to explore and exploit the potentials for the good of all Nigerians, particularly the ordinary people. It shall be accomplished,’’ he said.

But speaking with our correspondent, the PDP said it was unfortunate that President Buhari was holding millions of Nigerians who are suffering as a result of his bad leadership to ransom by hinging the formation of his cabinet on the composition of the leadership of the National Assembly.

Barrister Taofik Gani, the Publicity Secretary of the party in Lagos State, said the president had chosen loyalty to party politics than being loyal to Nigerians.

“Indeed, it is the shameful show of loyalty to the APC than to the nation. The latest excuse they are giving now is that they want their party to constitute the leadership of the National Assembly.

“That is very unfortunate that a president who knows that Nigerians are suffering, who himself has admitted that Nigerians are suffering and promised to pull out 100 million people out of poverty, such a president is now the one held down by party politics.

“Why should it take the National Assembly to constitute its leadership before the ministerial list is sent? Why must the president wait for the National Assembly to constitute its leadership before the president will send the list to the Senate for screening?

“We do not need a majority leader or any other leader to ratify and confirm ministerial appointments.

“So, it has confirmed our earlier belief that President Buhari is not in charge of the composition of his cabinet.

“Otherwise, he ought to have sent it to the National Assembly and insist that they pass it in the overall interest of the nation because Nigerians are suffering,” he said.
https://www.independent.ng/disquiet-as-buhari-pledges-formidable-team-of-ministers/

His ministerial list ought to be ready by now. It's unavailability has shown how unprepared the presidency is . The President should do the needful

At the end of the day, there won't be anything special about the list

Maydayy:
His ministerial list ought to be ready by now. It's unavailability has shown how unprepared the presidency is . The President should do the needful