I’ll appoint more ministers, reshuffle cabinet soon, Buhari discloses

President Muhammdu Buhari

In a move to spread government’s patronage ahead the forthcoming general election and placate aggrieved chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, told the gathering of the party chieftains that he would soon expand the composition of the Federal  Executive Council (FEC) and reconstitute boards of parastatal agencies.

Delivering his speech at the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, President Buhari revealed that the FEC would be expanded, as he noted that the country had since exited recession.
On the delay in the failure of his administration to constitute boards of parastatal agencies, which had generated  disaffection within the ruling party, he blamed it on the committee saddled with the assignment.
The president, however, assured party leaders that it would soon be unveiled.
“Last year, I said we would reconstitute the boards of parastatals. I must regret the fact that we have not done so, for many reasons.
“Some of us in this meeting may know I had given instructions since October 2015 for this exercise to start. But there have been inordinate delays through several committees in an attempt to get the balance right and to make sure all parts of the country are equitably represented.
“On the other hand, I am keenly aware that our supporters are very eager for these appointments to be announced. By the grace of God, these appointments will be announced soon, especially now that the economy is improving, we will have the resources to cater for the appointees.
“By the same token, the compressed Federal Executive Council will be expanded to bring in more supporters at federal level, with fresh ideas to be injected into the government,” he said.

The National Executive Committee, however, turned out to be ananti-climax as the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, survived the plot to remove him.
Nigerian Tribune findings revealed that the former Edo State governor got a reprieve as a result of the troubleshooting initiative of President Buhari, who met with stakeholders of the party, particularly the aggrieved camp.
At the meeting, unlike the orchestrated plot to unseat the national chairman, a vote of confidence was passed on Odigie-Oyegun and his team.
President Buhari, in apparent reference to the power tussle within the ruling party, admonished the chieftains to bury their differences and relate as a united family in the collective interest of the party.
He also thanked the Odigie-Oyegun-led executive for what he called its effective management of the party.
“I would like to start by commending our party leadership chaired by Chief John Oyegun. The chairman and I worked harmoniously during 1984-85 in a previous government.
“Happily, circumstances have brought us again to positions of leadership in the country.
“I want to thank Chief Oyegun and his staff for steering the party in the last two and a half years. Sometimes, it is easier to manage failure than to manage success – and a big success such as that we have achieved.
“Let me thank you all again for the commitment and dedicated service to our party and to remind you that much more will be required of you in the coming months.
“I hope we can continue to depend on you. If we keep united and rise above petty or personal quarrels, we will surely achieve the desired change in the country,” he added.
Speaking with journalists at the end of the meeting, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara and the APC national publicity secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said no date had been fixed for the party’s national convention.
They declared at the joint press briefing that the meeting agreed to set up a committee to schedule dates for mid-term and elective conventions.
“On the convention of the party, there was a paper on the line of activities that the party is meant to embark upon.
“There wasn’t a definitive conclusion on dates with regard to the party convention, but this is something that is in the works and judging from yesterday (Monday) meeting, I understand that the party would fine-tune this and sooner than later, there will be other rounds of meeting where the specifics and the details will be approved,” they said.
Dogara also offered further insights into issues discussed at the closed-door meeting.
“The president was very clear in his vision about where we are taking Nigeria to and we reminded ourselves about achievements that we have recorded in combating terrorism, especially in my own region, the North-East and the fight against corruption.
“Whether we like it or not, that’s one area that we believe we are doing well and the exiting from recession and the  achievements that the party has recorded.
“We cannot say we have done quite a lot, but there is still much to be done, but we have resolved that we should rededicate ourselves to the party and the service of our people.
“The only thing that can guarantee our place in this country is the service we render to our people. So, in summary, that’s the focus of our meeting,” Dogara said.
About 19 governors attended the meeting, among whom are Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Jibrilla Bindo (Adamawa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) and Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna).
Others were Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina) and Abiola Ajimobi  (Oyo).