President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, said he has to tell the truth about the state of Nigeria’s economy because anyone who wishes to invest in the country would have known more about the economy, even more than Nigerians.
Buhari disclosed this after receiving a list of 18 confirmed ministers presented to him by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in his office, on Tuesday.
This was as he rejected claim by one of his aides that all newly confirmed ministers will be given portfolios, insisting that the prevailing economic conditions in the country made assigning positions to all minister-designates unrealistic.
He was insisting that even though the constitution provided that all states must have a minister, it did not say there must be 36 ministries.
The president had, during his recent trip to India, announced that some ministers would not have portfolios, but would participate in meetings of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), a position one of his media aides had sought to modify by saying that all ministers would have portfolios.
Speaking after receiving the list of 18 confirmed ministers in his office, the president rejected the statement by one of his aides, which he described as speculative.
“If I can remember, there must be a member from each of the 36 states. That was why I limited the number of my nominees to that number, 36.
“The Senate worked extremely hard and have passed all the nominees. I think there is some enthusiasm in some parts of the Presidency today that portfolios are to be given to the 36.
“The constitution certainly said there must be one member of the cabinet from all the states, but the constitution did not say I must have 36 ministries. I will explain that in details.
“Because of the economic imperative, to have a lot of ministers, substantive ministers, let me put it that way. Whatever somebody speculated in some newspapers, I think the economy, as I have seen it now since my sitting here for the last four months, had been so much battered. Although some people are saying I am giving bad publicity and scaring away investors.
“Any investor who is interested in investing in Nigeria will seem to know more about the economy more than ourselves.
“So, when I come and tell the truth about the position of the economy of the country, I am going out looking for investors. I am also confirming to them that we are truthful, that we need them to come and help us help ourselves by getting in industries, manufacturing and services.
“They know our needs. The economy of human resources, I believe, will make them eventually come and help us.
“Mr Senate President, I thank you very much for leading the Senate to do this hardwork technically within record time.
“I assure you that we will follow the constitution and all the 36 will be sitting in the cabinet as the constitution stipulates.”
Meanwhile, President Buhari and the Senate President, Dr Saraki met behind closed-doors, following the submission of the list of confirmed ministerial nominees to the president.
The first part of the meeting during which Saraki submitted the list was open, but both men subsequently went into a closed session, which lasted about 20 minutes.
The Senate President confirmed to State House correspondents that after the submission of the list, he discussed other things with the president, which he declined to disclose.
The first batch of the confirmed nominees had earlier been received by the president.
While presenting the list, Saraki explained to the president that even though the confirmation process was completed last week Thursday.
He, however, waited till today to submit it after Senate’s vote and proceeding had been taken on the matter.
He said: “Mr President, we have finished the screening of the last batch of the ministers on Thursday and we waited for our vote of proceedings today which we finished this morning.
“I want to formally present the list of the 18 ministers, who have now been cleared to you and that makes a total of all your 36 nominees that have been cleared by the Senate.”
Fielding questions from corespondents after emerging from the meeting, Saraki dismissed concerns about some ministers not getting portfolios, saying such development would not be new.
He explained: “Well, I think before, you had ministers of state. I don’t think there is anything new.
“There was minister for special duties which really don’t have portfolio. I think the key issue is being in cabinet, being part of government and those that would have the responsibilities of ministering are those who at the end of the day would do that.
“So, minister of state is not new. We had it before, if you remember that very well. Honestly, I believe we need to move away from the small issues and begin to focus on the major issues.
“I think the country presently now is at a very trying time, no doubt about it.
“We have the challenges of revenue drop, challenges in trying to boost revenue and create jobs and you know we have some of these issues which we really need to address and I think that it is time for us to address them and these are some of the issues we looked at as a senate, that it is time for us to give support to the executive to move the country forward.
“ I think all of us, apart from those in the legislature and the executive and even those of you in the media, we must begin to proffer and put our country in a positive view.
“Otherwise, there is no way we are going to have those major issues addressed.”
On why he personally brought the ministerial list to the president, Saraki said both men discussed other issues.
He said: “Because there were other things we discussed. As you can see after you (media) left, we discussed for about 20 minutes on some major issues as well. So, it wasn’t just about the list.”
Asked if the issue of his prosecution at the Code of Conduct Tribunal came up during the meeting, the Senate President said: “Did you think that will come up in this kind of situation? No, it did not come up.”
Earlier, senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had caused another stir, following their opposition to the adoption of votes and proceedings of the confirmation of ministers-designate, as a result of the inclusion of the name of former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
Senators of the PDP had walked out of the sitting last Thursday following the insistence of their counterparts in the All Progressives Congress(APC) to confirm Amaechi as a minister.
Drama had ensued on the Senate floor on October 29, following the submission of the report of Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee which investigated Amaechi.
Senators of the APC went ahead to confirm Amaechi after rejecting the Ethics Committee’s report, which recommended that Amaechi should not be confirmed.
The PDP senators, however, pulled another string in their bid to stop Amaechi, on Tuesday, following their rejection of the votes and proceedings, which was to ratify the actions taken last Thursday.
The drama started when Saraki asked Senator Peter Nwabaoshi (PDP Delta North) to second the motion for the adoption of the votes and proceedings in line with parliamentary practice.
The Senate President had earlier recognised Senator Isiaka Adeleke (APC, Osun West) to move a motion for the adoption of the votes and proceedings of the Senate for Thursday, October 29.
He then recognised Nwabaoshi to second the motion, but Nwabaoshi turned down the offer, saying that he could not second the motion because he was not at the sitting.
Nwaoboshi said: “My President, I will not be able to second the motion because I was not at the plenary to know what was done.”
Saraki consequently, called on Senator Ibrahim Gobir (APC Sokoto East) to second the motion, to pave the way for him(Saraki) to put the question.
When Saraki put the question, APC senators shouted “Aye” while their PDP counterparts shouted a loud “Nay” this making it difficult for observers to clearly discern which one had the day.
But Saraki promptly ruled in favour of the “Aye” to save the day for Amaechi.
Senators of the PDP had opposed Amaechi’s confirmation as a result of a petition which accused him of financial impropriety when he strived as governor of Rivers State.
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