There are indications that President‑elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will form his cabinet within 30 days of his inauguration. Reports emerged on Friday that a provision in the fifth amendment to the Constitution, signed into law by President (retired) Major General Muhammadu Buhari, requires presidents‑elect and governors‑elect to submit the names of their ministerial and commissioner nominees within 60 days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or state House of Assembly.
Many Nigerians lamented the delay in ministerial appointments during the Buhari regime in 2015. Speaking with one of our correspondents on Friday, the President‑elect’s Special Adviser, Mr. Dele Alake, said Tinubu would not need the full 60 days to assemble a competent team. “I told you in an earlier interview that it didn’t take Asiwaju more than three weeks to form his cabinet as governor. That was as at that time. I think 60 days is even too much. A month, maximum, is enough for any serious government to form its cabinet and put a structure of government in place after the swearing‑in,” he said.
His view was echoed by Bayo Onanuga, Director of Media and Publicity for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council. Although he declined to give details and distanced his principal from media speculation about possible cabinet members, Onanuga added, “What I can assure you is that even if the list is not ready on the first day, it will not take Asiwaju more than one month to put his cabinet together. He definitely will not wait for 60 days to assemble a competent cabinet.”
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