With the volume of unprecedented support, goodwill and unanimous resolve by dissatisfied Nigerians for change that enthroned President Muhammadu Buhari to the highest office in Nigeria, he has no reasons but to justify the enormous confidence reposed in him.

Unfortunately, the fact that he was yet to form his cabinet after four months in office, is a disappointment that is already generating ambivalent reactions. For many, there is no reasonable justification for the delay, especially considering that he had identified the challenges facing the country and prepared himself to govern the Nigerian state, and contested four times. The most generous interpretation for the lack of a ready blueprint that apparently resulted to this unnecessary delays could have been that he was being meticulous and looking for credible people, preferably new saints in the new cabinet.

But contrary to the heightened expectations of Nigerians, the eventual outcome of this presumed diligence is at best, annoying and laughable, considering the ministerial list he sent to the Senate which recycled the same old politicians instead of new saints. He could have easily compiled these names even on the eve of his assumption of office because they are his age long allies in the same political family.

Again, Buhari who declared that he was for everybody, ended up appointing only members of his political party (the APC).

YOUTHS---------From the prevailing social and political realities and statistics, Nigeria is clearly a society where the concept of youths as leaders of tomorrow has constricted a very important social category to the political fringe and relegated a demographic majority (the youths) to the political minority.

Nigerian youths who represent over 68% of Nigeria’s total population, are arguably the most talented, intelligent and sophisticated in all areas. It is therefore, surprising why President Muhammadu Buhari has decided to exclude the youths in his ministerial list. It is even more disheartening that in a country that has a preponderance of competent youths, a man who was a minister in 1982 (33 years ago) is being nominated for ministerial position again in 2015 by a government that promised to change the old unfavourable order.

It is high time that we de-constructed our mindset from the negative interpretation of youths as leaders of tomorrow and perhaps, reconstruct the phrase because it appears that we have misconstrued it to imply a tomorrow that must never come for the teeming Nigerian youths.

Short changing the youths by precluding them from full representation and proportionate participation in governance and in making decisions/policies that will ultimately affect them is an unforgivable sin.

My research showed that Nigeria had given opportunities to the youths in the past and they were extraordinarily outstanding. Some of them were M.T. Mbu who became a minister at 25, Richard Akinjide at 32, Maitama Sule at 29, Yakubu Gowon at 35, Audu Ogbe at 35 etc.

It is therefore preposterous to development, enmical to the desired change and nation building, that even president Buhari who himself became head of state in 1983 at the age of 41 could display this level of disregard for the Nigerian youths with unperturbed flippancy and loud silence.

CONSTITUTION VIOLATION------Although Buhari's military background suggest naturally, that he would need more assistance and guidance to become a completely transformed democrat----- one with regard for the rule of law as enshrined in our constitution.

That notwithstanding, can't be an acceptable excuse to violate the constitution because aside having a legal adviser, Buhari is fortunate to have a legal luminary as a vice president. Unfortunately, he hasn't displayed either in actions or inactions that he has fully utilized that privilege.

Upon taking the oath of office, President Buhari resonated the spirit of the Nigerian Constitution when he declared that he was for nobody but for everybody. The excitement that greeted that declaration was short-lived as his subsequent actions and early appointments made the declaration a mere sarcasm.

While the perceived selective favouritism and lopsided appointments were still not rectified, the constitution was again disregarded, perhaps inadvertently, when the president recently announced outside the shores of Nigeria that he will make himself the petroleum minister.

A declaration that is indicative of obvious ignorance of section 138 of the 1999 constitution as amended which states that "the president shall not, during his tenure of office, hold any other executive office or paid employments in any capacity whatsoever.

Aside legal advice, It is clear that Buhari needs to be reminded that he is representing a country that has a collection of the world's most intelligent people whose sensibilities shouldn't be insulted.

How can a president send the list of ministerial nominees for screening to the Senate without indicating the portfolio of each of them?

This is akin to a candidate going for an interview for which position neither the candidate nor the interviewer knows.

The Senate will now have to become octopus to predict their portfolios and ascertain if they are competent and qualified to superintend the ministries as guessed.

The avoidable conundrum created by this vague and ambiguous list will certainly negate accelerated screening because the Senate will now have to devise a conventional strategy for the exercise.

Gradually, the overwhelming support and frenzy that brought president Buhari to office is fast depreciating from absolute confidence to ambivalence and still tilting towards south and something should be done to reassure and resuscitate the dwindling confidence of Nigerians.

Written by histemple.