“On hold” is how many Nigerians would describe how West Africa’s most-populous country of 178 million people currently feels.

It’s been more than 15 weeks since President Muhammadu Buhari, 72, won the March 28 presidential elections, but he is yet to appoint ministers. In fact, he says he will not form a cabinet before September.

The government is currently kept afloat by top civil officials, who can fulfil basic administrative duties but not make the key political decisions Buhari promised Nigerians when campaigning for office.

The former military leader was elected based on his pledge to end corruption in politics and the oil industry – Nigeria’s main revenue earner – and stop Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram, which has killed an estimated 14,000 people since 2009.

But weeks have gone by and little has happened. Big political decisions have been stalled, while a new surge of Boko Haram attacks killed more than 430 people this
month alone.

“At this stage, government is only functioning at about 25 per cent,” warns David Zounmenou, researcher at the African Institute for Security Studies. “Buhari needs to
act quickly. He needs to assert his role.”

The elation felt after Buhari’s election and inauguration on May 29 is slowly dissipating. Nigerians hoped a page would be turned in the country where corruption in politics and the economy is almost endemic.

Without a cabinet “Buhari will not be able to make many necessary reforms to begin to deal with the many challenges facing his administration,” says Ernst Jan
Hogendoorn, Africa deputy director of research organization International Crisis Group.

The longer ministerial posts remain vacant, the more politically vulnerable Nigeria will become. “As a worst-case scenario, Buhari might lose control over the country because other people will take the gap and move in,” says Zounmenou.

The president says he is not in a hurry. “This task cannot and should not be rushed,” Buhari wrote in an op-ed published in the Washington Post on Monday, the day he met with US President Barack Obama.“Nigeria must first put new rules of conduct and good governance in place.”

The delay is among other things caused by ministers of the previous government who didn’t provide handover notes as promised, Buhari had explained earlier,pointing fingers at his predecessor Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Buhari also has to manage a fierce internal power struggle for the top positions in government, including the crucial economy, finance and defence portfolios, within his All Progressives Congress (APC), a coalition of what used to be the country’s three biggest opposition parties.

“Buhari is trying to balance many competing interests,both within his coalition party and the different regions of Nigeria,” explains Hogendoorn.

A transition committee is now carefully vetting all candidates for corruption before drawing up a shortlist.
“Ministers will come when [Buhari] finishes scrubbing the floor which is littered with corruption,” presidential spokesman Garba Shehu told dpa. “There are too many
leaks in the revenue system that must be plugged. He will not build on the rotten foundation [of Jonathan’s government].”

The cause is noble, but analysts doubt the president will be able to reach this goal after decades of rampant corruption in Nigerian politics. “A clean record is an impossible mission. In Nigeria’s political arena, it’s extremely difficult to find someone with clean record. I would say it’s not even two per cent of politicians,” says Zounmenou of the security studies institute.

With each week going by without a fully functioning government, the pressure on Buhari to act is increasing.

“I know [Nigerians] are impatient for action. I realize the world waits to see evidencenthat my administration will be different from all those that came before,” Buhari
admits in the op-ed. “Yet reforming my country after so many years of abuse cannot be achieved overnight.”


http://sunnewsonline.com/new/a-president-without-ministers-can-buhari-govern-nigeria/

Alhaji Dogoyaro should know that he will be judged by his actions not intentions...

Its only a fool that will judge a student without exams . give Buhari 100 days first before you guys start crying , even companies give employees 3 months

Campaigns are over...Using every possible opportunity to vilify Jonathan isn't an achievement...rather he should be reminded that he will be judged by the extent to which he achieves his bogus promises and not how much he was able to vilify Jonathan...He is on a timed journey...

Thank God its Thursday

i need 2 get my sun glasses so i can thoroughly

Whatever challenge buhari is lamenting of today, was there when he was campaigning...not having any workable blueprint handy after 12years of contesting for presidency shows ineptitude and crass nonchalance...

Op@ I see nothing in your post but some botanical names. Be informed our president will break the jins. System cleansing first !!!

The truth is looking at what's on ground right now, there is no standard and the level of corruption is high u need some sanity first before appointing ministers. The truth remains Nigeria will function well without ministers , ask yourself how many ministers were working during GEJ tenure may be just 5 or less the real people working at the permanent sec . ministers no over see and Advice but we all know past ministers are just politicians who knows nothing about the job, so what difference does it make?

Whynotthetruth:


The longer ministerial posts remain vacant, the more politically vulnerable Nigeria will become. “As a worst-case scenario, Buhari might lose control over the country because other people will take the gap and move in,” says Zounmenou.

naijainfogalery:
The truth is looking at what's on ground right now, there is no standard and the level of corruption is high u need some sanity first before appointing ministers. The truth remains Nigeria will function well without ministers , ask yourself how many ministers were working during GEJ tenure may be just 5 or less the real people working at the permanent sec . ministers no over see and Advice but we all know past ministers are just politicians who knows nothing about the job, so what difference does it make?

1)I gave you a quote by an international researcher who's not PDP or APC or whatever and you still spew this statement here...sorry for you...

2)Which ministry was not functioning under Jonathan with no ministers probably?

3)What sanity is buhari putting now?...list them alongside ministries were such are obtained...

4)Are ministers supposed to be what?...Aren't they people who share in the vision and ideology of president including party politics?...

5)And what makes you think that politicians are nonentities?

Leave dis man alone for once na

Don't mind the "Sai Buhari" zombies that are always defending their senile master.

Generalkorex:
Leave dis man alone for once na

Was he forced to contest for presidency?...When Fashola bemoaned the stress of being just a governor not to talk of president, was he deaf?...if the heat is too much, leave the kitchen

naijainfogalery:
Its only a fool that will judge a student without exams . give Buhari 100 days first before you guys start crying , even companies give employees 3 months

Mumu on rampage!

Whynotthetruth:
What kinda of imaginary foundation and clean up Buhari and Osinbande is laying in over 39ministries demeans any form of rationality... Are those changes spiritual and intangible that even the media cannot observe and capture them

Tell'em. Children of hate and envy!

:

w

naijainfogalery:
Its only a fool that will judge a student without exams . give Buhari 100 days first before you guys start crying , even companies give employees 3 months

you just said arrant nonsense!!! Am very disappointed

There is nothing like nonsense here most of the people judging him is based on hatred. If Buhari doesn't fulfil his campaign promises my critic is gonna be heard all over the world

iphanyiuma:
you just said arrant nonsense!!! Am very disappointed

Whynotthetruth:


What kinda of imaginary foundation and clean up Buhari and Osinbande is laying in over 39ministries demeans any form of rationality... Are those changes spiritual and intangible that even the media cannot observe and capture them...Can you please list those system cleansing techniques or processes of buhari with respective ministries where they are obtained?...thanks

PMB is still less than 6 weeks in office, but the rejected and kicked out otuoke corrupt and incompetent clown announced his cabinet 6 weeks after inauguration.

The question now is, did Nigeria stopped being a country or collapsed because the otuke creekside clown stalled for 6 weeks before nominating his cabinet members?


You see how idiotic and retardded you biafran village hypocrites sound?

Ministers will come in SEPTEMBER is that too much of an ENGLISH to UNDERSTAND? Besides, Nigeria's battered image and administrative processes are undergoing reconstructive surgery and that you guys will agree takes time. We had a CIVIL WAR in Nigeria, we had DECADES of MILITARY RULE we had 16 YEARS of PDP MISRULE yet we survived as a country and a people. A little patience for a Man who has defiled the norm and wants to do things differently will not be what will KILL us. If you feel he ddnt HIT the GROUND RUNNING then he is PREPARING grounds for members of his administration to HIT the GROUND RUNNING the OPPORTUNITY he never got from the GUYS before him.

I just hope say he get beta plans o

Mr President, I would advise You to keep to your schedule and avoid critics, that's all they can offer. They will not add a "dime" input to your government, all they can do is criticize and the moment you start listening to them, that's the moment you start derailing...

Like I stated, criticism is their job, ignore them

Those who voted you will give you the support you need to succeed... It's a game, fairness is necessary for its success

Whynotthetruth:
Alhaji Dogoyaro should know that he will be judged by his actions not intentions...

Yes he will. And the trial is going to last at least four years before the jury comes up with its verdict.

If you are tired of sitting in the courtroom, why don't you simply walk the hell out?? Is any officer restraining you from doing so

September , 2015 marks the end of the Jewish Sabbatical year Elul from where God's punishment comes full swing.


Buhari don't bother naming a cabinet because from September 13 which coincides with the Red Moon eclipse your puppet master America will finally be destroyed and with them Your Presidency, Govt and Nation will crumble.

socialmediaman:
Typing

Nonsense as usual