President Buhari addresses the nation, speaks on lateness of ministerial appointments

President Buhari this morning had a nationwide

broadcast where he spoke on some national issues.

One major thing on was on the ministerial list.

According to him, the reason for the late delivery

of the ministerial list was due to the lateness of

the past administration to deliver to his

administration their handover notes.

He hinted that the 21 names sent to the senate

for screening yesterday was the first batch and

that there will be another list that will be sent to

the senate for screening in the future.

“ Fellow Nigerians, there has been a lot of

anxiety and impatience over the apparent

delay in the announcement of ministers.

There is no cause to be anxious.

Our government set out to do things

methodically and properly. We received the

handing over notes from the outgoing

government only four days before taking

over. Consequently, the Joda Transition

Committee submitted its report on the

reorganization of federal government

structure after studying the handover

notes.

It would have been haphazard to announce

ministers when the government had not

finalized the number of ministries to

optimally carry the burden of governance.

Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of

names for ministerial nominees for

confirmation has been sent to the Senate.

Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due

course. Impatience is not a virtue. Order is

more vital than speed. Careful and

deliberate decisions after consultations get

far better results. And better results for

our country is what the APC government for

change is all about.”

He also emphasized his earlier position that he bore

no grudges against anybody and that his

government was not after anyone.

“As I said in my inaugural speech, I bear no

ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody

should fear anything from me. We are not

after anyone. People should only fear the

consequences of their actions. I hereby invite

everyone, whatever his or her political view,

to join me in working for the nation. he

stated. Regarding some of the problems he

might have inherited from the past

administration, Buhari said

“We have seen in the last few years how

huge resources were mismanaged,

squandered and wasted. The new APC

government is embarking on a clean up,

introducing prudence and probity in public

financing. At an early stage, the federal

government addressed the issue of salary

arrears in many states, a situation capable

of degenerating into social unrest. The APC

government stepped in to provide short-

term support to the owing states and

enabled them to pay off the backlog and

restore the livelihood of millions of

Nigerians”. Buhari, however, reassured

Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to

execute projects that would impact positively

on their lives. He urged Nigerians to be

patient and join the government to deliver

on the dividend of democracy to the citizens,

irrespective of their political affiliation. “I

would like to end my address this morning on

our agenda for Change. Change does not just

happen. You and I and all of us must

appreciate that we all have our part to play

if we want to bring change about,” he said.

He acknowledged that there have been change in

power and petrol supply and said Government was

working towards making the change more

increased. He said an audit has been launched in

some government agencies such as CBN, Customs,

NNPC and others so that the nation can manage its

resources effectively.

Buhari noted that for positive change to take

place, there must be a change in attitude in

Nigerians as well irrespective of their political

affiliation “We must change our lawless habits, our

attitude to public office and public trust.

We must change our unruly behaviour in schools,

hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the

roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change,

we must change ourselves by being law-abiding

citizens,” he said Buhari further noted that

October 1 is a day for joy and celebrations for

Nigerians "It is the day, 55 years ago, we liberated

ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and

began our long march to nationhood and to

greatness. No temporary problems or passing

challenges should stop us from honoring this day.

Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given

us.

Our Creator has bequeathed to us numbers –

Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the

planet,” he said. The president, however, observed

that in spite of all the attributes of a great

nation, Nigeria is not there yet because of the one

commodity it had been unable to exploit to the

fullest – unity of purpose.

“This would have enabled us to achieve not

only more orderly political evolution and

integration but also continuity and economic

progress. Countries far less endowed have

made greater economic progress by greater

coherence and unity of purpose.

“Nonetheless, that we have remained

together is an achievement we should all

appreciate and try to consolidate. We have

witnessed this year a change in our

democratic development.

The fact that an opposition party replaced

an entrenched government in a free and

fair election is indicative of the deeper roots

of our democratic system. Whatever one’s

views are, Nigerians must thank former

President Jonathan for not digging-in in the

face of defeat and thereby saving the

country untold consequences,” he said.