•Hostages won't be in my cabinet
President Muhammadu Buhari says he needs as ministers, only very patriotic, hardworking, committed, experienced and knowledgeable Nigerians who have not been compromised.
He, however, said it was taking him so much time to form his cabinet because a number of knowledgeable people that could have been appointed ministers had been compromised.
President Buhari stated this Monday while featuring on a Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) programme tagged "Good Morning Nigeria".
Buhari stressed that he should look for decent technocrats and politicians whom to give the responsibility of manning ministries and important parastatals.
According to him, the worst thing that can happen to Nigeria is to get a compromised person to be in charge of institutions as such a person can never be efficient or patriotic as somebody "behind the scene" will be teleguiding him/her at the expense of the nation.
The president emphasised that if compromised people were appointed as ministers, the country would be back to square one and Nigerians would be the loser.
He said he would try as much as possible to avoid appointing "hostages, people who have been in the system, but compromised their personal and professional integrity".
Buhari said: "From what I've seen so far, we need very patriotic Nigerians that can work very hard with knowledgeable experience, committed Nigerians to be in charge of ministries. A lot of institutions in Nigeria are compromised; everybody for himself and God for all of us. It is most unfortunate. We've people, educated and experienced people, but everybody seems to be working for himself on how much they could get away with as soon as possible.
"We've to look for technocrats and politicians. We've to look out for decent people in this class to give them the responsibility of being in charge of ministries and important parastatals. We'll try as mush as possible to avoid appointing hostages. By this, I mean people who have been in the system, but compromised their personal and professional integrity.
"It's taking so much time (to appoint ministers) because a number of knowledgeable people have been compromised. They've been compromised by people who will like to depend on them to damage our economy and security. A lot of them have been compromised.
"The worst thing that I think can happen is to get a compromised person to be in charge of institutions. There is no way he could be efficient or patriotic. Somebody behind the scene will be tele-guiding him at the expense of the nation. This is what we're trying to avoid, and I assure you that so much damage has been done to Nigeria.
"We cannot rush to give this responsibility to people that have unfortunately been compromised because there is no way you can effectively supervise let's say 20 ministries, you have to give it to people you trust and you allow them to perform according to the constitution of the country. If you appoint compromised people, then we will be back to square one and Nigeria will be the loser".
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