Let’s face it: there is the huge hand of God in the return of Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari’s election to the presidency has possibly averted the danger of a violent revolution in this country and saved the thieving Nigerian elite from the bloody wrath of a hungry and traumatised citizenry. A combination of high level corruption and hopeless absence of basic services could have had only one result: a revolutionary change of the status quo. Praise be to Allah, we were able to have an electoral system that demonstrated to both the winner and loser,well in advance, the trajectory of their fate.
During the gruelling and fouled presidential campaigns, Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), had bandied “change” as their battle cry. I don’t know whether APC has been able to sufficiently and succinctly define change in a way that is understandable to the generality of Nigerians, though we may say by voting for the party and its candidates, the citizens have indeed understood its meaning.
In the reckoning of many Nigerians therefore, by proclaiming change, APC and Buhari mean that they are different from the previous party and the government it led. By declaring change, Buhari and his party and APC mean they are going to offer something new and interesting.
There are few remarkable things about the team President Buhari has just assembled. Firstly, it has taken him about six months after his inauguration to form his cabinet. The change element here is not the length of time it has taken him to choose the cabinet; it is the expectation that this calibre of ministers will deliver qualitative, cost effective, new and interesting services to justify this long wait.
Secondly, it is also noteworthy that perhaps for the very first time in this dispensation no money was asked and none was given in the Senate business of ministerial confirmation. Has Buhari not made it clear that he will fight corruption as a priority?
Additionally, no set of ministerial nominees has been quizzed like this one. There have been very few cases of “take a bow and go.” Many of Buhari’s nominees were thoroughly questioned on their understanding of their assignments and what they intend to contribute to governance.
Equally, this may be the most qualitative set of cabinet members whether in terms of education, experience, philosophy of governance or vision. Abubakar Chika Malami, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Zainab Ahmed, Amina Mohammed, Solomom Dalung, James Ocholi, etc., all of whom are expected to lead strategic ministries, gave Nigerians something to remember during the screening.
To prepare their minds about his expectations of them, President Muhammadu Buhari held a two-day retreat for the ministers-designate at the Aso Villa. He told them point blank that they are the vehicles for the delivery of change in all ramifications.
“You (ministers-designate) are coming on board the ship of governance at an interesting time. So much has been said about the state of our economy. It is expected that we make the running of government at all levels as lean as possible, avoid waste and conserve resources. Our economic focus will be policies that will ensure inclusive growth and we will count our achievements based on the number of Nigerians that we move out of poverty”, the President told his team at the retreat.
Listening to Dr Chris Ngige, one can discern that the ministers have already accepted Buhari’s challenge to them to employ fewer aides and use shorter vehicle cavalcades. This President will not tolerate from his ministers, infighting, impunity or ostentatious lifestyles that do not commode with current economic realities.Unlike Jonathan, Buhari will not hesitate to sack ministers engaged in unlawful activities. In a departure from past practices, only two guests will accompany each minister-designate to the swearing in ceremony this Wednesday. During the Jonathan administration, swearing in formalities were attended by all comers including traditional rulers, spouses, friends, children and drummers.
The Buhari FEC is expected to work as a team with a new approach that will help deliver change. Each minister will decide how best he or she can help achieve the common vision. Each ministry must have targets that feed into a shared goal of improving the quality of life of the common man soonest. They must have milestones on the path to the fulfilment of these targets. The ministers will put forward for consideration of the Council only those projects that can realistically be funded and completed as scheduled. Nigerians are tired of President Goodluck’s types of grandiose and interminable contracts which litter the country like the East-West Road,Owerri-Port Harcourt, Lagos-Ibadan, Abuja-Lokoja, Kano-Maiduguri, Suleija-Minna highways, Abuja-Kaduna railway, including the Nigerian Railway rehabilitation scams, dam projects and numerous others.
The Buhari team is expected to, in order of priority, severely fight corruption by bringing culprits to justice and recovering looted funds, restore security by defeating Boko Haram and other separatist tendencies, robbery, kidnapping, etc. and overhaul the economy by diversifying and expanding it while eliminating waste.
Having taken this long to assemble this Federal Executive Council and having brooked no interference in its selection, President Buhari will be solely responsible for the success or failure of his team. If Buhari dusts up his address to his 1985 ministers, he will find out that there is little or nothing he needs to change therein when he swears in another team tomorrow - same team leader, similar dreadful situation and same expectations.
Twitter: Comrade Abubakar

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/opinion/the-change-cabinet/118605.html

Yeah! Time will tell. We will keep praying for God to help Nigeria .. Das'all!

Buhari/apc are just another group Deceiving nigerians nothing has change. It is a scam auterity measure ain't good governance they are enforced measures by dwindling resources. Apc/buhari's change is an illusion. Instead of expanding opportunities some are clapping for shrinkage by this rudderless govt!!!