The spokesman of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Joe Igbokwe, has defended President Muhammadu Buhari on why he hasn’t inaugurated his cabinet more than a month since he was sworn in for a second term.
He said the delay in making public the ministerial list was necessary to enable security operatives to carry out background checks on the nominees.
Igbokwe stated this in an interview published by The Sun while reacting to the public outcry by Nigerians over the continued delay by Buhari.
The APC man said the delay would not have any negative effect on the Nigerian economy, “Before you bring those names it must go through security checks by the DSS, I am sure you know that?
“They will have to do a thorough investigation about the person, that is the work of the DSS, before you send the list to the National Assembly (Senate) otherwise you will bring it and they will just rubbish it, you go back, so you have to be very sure of the names you are sending, their credibility and all that,” The Sun quoted him as saying.
He said permanent secretaries stepped in immediately the first term cabinet of the APC-led government was dissolved.
“Everybody is there so work is going on nothing is being retarded or neglected, but we should make haste to make the ministers come on board and I am sure they are sensitive about it,” he said.
July 4th, still no Ministerial list.
"I will start criticizing Buhari if he fails to submit the list when NASS reconvene" gangs are all quiet now.
What happen?
No Saraki to blame.
No NASS recess to blame.
What will u guys use as excuse now?
— Asiwaju Oladimeji (@AsiwajuOladimej) July 4, 2019
Speaking on the current security challenge in the country, Igbokwe said: “I am seeing the security challenge as fake, it’s just the fallout of the 2019 election, people want to sabotage the system, it’s not real.”
He accused the opposition party of sponsoring violence in some parts of the country, “The losers of the election are bent on bringing the government down, it’s not natural, and the security trend you are seeing is man-made.”
He said the challenges are the fallout of the 2019 election between the incumbent president and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
PDP and its candidate are challenging the victory of APC at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
The two strong politicians are Muslims from the North.
Sunday Morning 7/719
1. Senate may proceed on 8 week annual recess without @MBuhari's ministerial list.
2. House leadership: @OfficialPDPNig govs split over @GovWike's candidate saying since PDP Chairman is from Rivers why should Minority leader be from there again.
— Ezeaka Chidozie Ishola Buharideen (@Ezeakachidozie) July 7, 2019
Speaking on 2023 presidency, the Lagos APC spokesman boastfully said: “Power must come to the South, I don’t know where it is going to go to, but this is what I know.”
He discountenanced the statement made by a chieftain of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mohammed Abdulrahman, that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu should forget his 2023 presidential ambition.