We Don’t Need Bloated Cabinet Now, ADP Tells Buhari

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Action Democratic Party (ADP) has faulted plan by President Muhammadu Buhari to create more ministries, saying such a move is capable of stressing the already weak economy.

The party said if the president goes ahead to carry out his plan, it would amount to another betrayal of trust to Nigerians.

President Buhari had declared at the APC NEC meeting that he would expand his cabinet to accommodate more party members who would inject new ideas into governance.

In a statement issued wednesday in Abuja, by the ADP’s Director of Media and Publicity, Kayode Jacob, the party said Buhari had promised Nigerians that he would run a slim government “arguing that the PDP ran an over bloated government that dwarfed capital expenditures.”

He said: “The current cabinet members have been working with a President they only see on FEC meeting days and hardly had opportunity to discuss personal challenges or aspirations except through the Chief of Staff or the now replaced Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).”

While expressing disappointment on the move, ADP said: “It is sad and very disappointing that President Buhari who promised change has refused to be consistent and faithful to all the promises he made to the Nigerian masses.
“His attitude towards corruption allegations against his close associates, his unprecedented tribal/kinsmen appointments and penchant for refusing to talk when Nigerians needed his voice of assurance mostly, have proved that his body language in the beginning was a mere gimmick.”

ADP advised that what the president needs is not appointment of additional ministers but to make himself (President) more accessible to the current cabinet members “so as to achieve synergy and success.
“If the President continue to run the government by proxy, history may not be kind to him in the final analysis,” the Action Democratic Chairman concluded.