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Why Buhari might not appoint ministers even in two months time

Published

11 years ago

June 29, 2015

Nigerians who have been waiting anxiously for President Muhammadu Buhari to unveil his list of cabinet members may need to wait a little more as there are indications that the president may not appoint ministers “in the next two months.”

This is despite criticism from various quarters that the president has been very slow in making key appointments amidst high hopes and expectations from his government.

According The Nation, three reasons may account for the delay in the president’s appointment of ministers.

The reported noted the three reasons to be:

the President’s plan to clear the “rot” inherited from the Goodluck Jonathan administration;
the crisis in the National Assembly over the choice of principal officers; and
the need to reduce ministries and parastatals.

But the reduction or merger of ministries or parastatals will, however, not lead to retrenchment of workers.

A Presidency source, who had a confidential briefing with some journalists in Abuja, said the mess Buhari inherited was “sickening”.

The source said: “You cannot even begin to imagine the situation we have met on the ground.

”Almost everything is in a state of decay. There is absolutely no way the new government can hope to achieve anything long-lasting without first building a new foundation.”

The source said President Buhari’s plan of action could be compared to that of “a doctor who first has to break a poorly set bone afresh, before resetting it to allow for smooth and proper growth”.

On the National Assembly crisis, the source said it was “yet one more excuse why forming a cabinet will be impossible until further notice”.

He added: “Look at how they are fighting among themselves.

“The Senate has now adjourned till July 21. That means no one to scrutinize or approve any ministerial list until the end of July.”

When told that the National Assembly said it was ready to cut short its break to consider any request from the President, the source asked the reporters to await the President’s “long-awaited” intervention in the crisis between the party and the National Assembly.

”The President wants to walk his talk on stable politics and being a leader for all. He has a plan for the National Assembly.”

He said civil servants had been “supervising the day-to-day running of ministries and that permanent secretaries of the various ministries have access to the President”.

He added: “All these reports and agitations are being fuelled by politicians who want to put pressure on the President.

“They have tried doing it other ways and those haven’t worked. Now, they are trying to use the media. They only want their cronies appointed to ministerial posts anyhow and they are fuelling the agitation through newspapers.”

He advised the media not to fall for the “old tricks and shenanigans” of politicians.

Buhari is set to reduce or merge some ministries and parastatals to make the size of the civil service manageable for efficiency.

The exercise will, however, not lead to retrenchment of workers.

The source added: “The President plans to cut down the number of ministries and parastatals.

“He wants to cut down the cost of running government. He wants to make sure that all the loopholes that enable corruption to thrive are blocked. All these are procedures that require time and careful planning. You cannot do it in a rush.

“Remember that he has to make sure that all this is done without any job losses or mass retrenchments. All this is not a day’s or one-month job.”

He added that President Buhari could not realistically have begun this process without first receiving the full report of the transition committee and ascertaining exactly the situation his government faced.

He said the president was taking his time to study the Ahmed Joda Transition Committee and Steve Oronsaye reports in order to harmonise their recommendations with the aim of restructuring the public sector that is free of waste, corruption and inefficiencies.

“You would recall that Joda had recommended the consolidation of ministries to 19 to create a leaner structure in government. This is not far removed from the Oronsaye report of 2012, which also recommended the consolidation of parastatals and agencies of the federal government.

“So what the president wants to do is to put a structure in place that cuts waste, reduces or eliminates corruption and introduces efficiency in the system,” he volunteered.

The source said Buhari was very particular about introducing a system that is free of the decay of past administrations.

He also dispelled concerns that the business of governance had ground to a halt due to the absence of ministers to provide direction, stating that the “business of governance is ongoing because the president is meeting with permanent secretaries of the ministries and heads of parastatals and getting things done through them”.

The source explained that the first phase of the agenda is to reform and restructure the public sector, “following which the appointment of ministers who will deliver on the president’s campaign promises under a new system and ethos with clear guidelines and processes, will take place”.

The source also revealed that in spite of the delay in the appointment of ministers, Buhari might in the next week or two appoint a few advisers.

“However, he is currently working with a few people on a not formalised basis, as they are the ones assisting him to distill the two reports and will make recommendations on the immediate reforms that can be implemented in the public sector,” he said.

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FCMB Limits Exposure in Fraud Attempt

Published

2 weeks ago

March 28, 2026

Sahara Weekly

More than ₦3 billion was targeted, but about ₦677 million reached the culprits, with recovery and prosecutions underway, reflecting how banks are responding to more sophisticated fraud risks.

Nigeria’s expanding digital banking sector is facing increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts, as financial institutions adapt to faster transactions and broader online services.

A recent case involving First City Monument Bank (FCMB), linked to fraudulent activity detected in December 2025, has drawn attention to how banks are responding to such incidents, with a focus on limiting exposure, recovering funds and working with law enforcement.

According to findings referenced in proceedings before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, the incident involved unauthorised transactions tied to a digital product. Early reports erroneously suggested more than ₦3 billion was lost. Subsequent clarification shows that over ₦3 billion was targeted, ₦2.4 billion was blocked and recovered, while ₦677 million got into the possession of the culprits. This outcome reflects the bank’s cyber security and monitoring capabilities, as well as improved collaboration among regulated financial institutions and with law enforcement agencies. Several suspects and beneficiaries have been apprehended, while recovery and prosecution efforts are ongoing, led by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Proceedings at the Lagos State Special Offences Court have resulted in convictions, including that of a repeat offender, with restitution orders issued. Related matters are also being handled at the Federal High Court in Lagos, where additional suspects are being tried in connection with the scheme. This process is aimed at ensuring that bad actors are identified and permanently blacklisted from the financial system.

Authorities say recovery efforts are continuing as additional funds are traced.

Analysts note that the pace of legal action reflects closer coordination between financial institutions and enforcement agencies in addressing cyber-related financial crime.

The case comes as banks contend with more complex fraud methods, including social engineering and automated exploitation of system processes.

As digital products and platforms expand, so too does the risk associated with cyber-crime and related fraud.

“The scale of digital banking means risks are evolving alongside the systems,” said a Lagos-based financial analyst. “Institutions are now judged by how they manage these events.”

Observers say the sector is moving toward a stronger focus on response and recovery, rather than prevention alone.

This includes improving monitoring capabilities, strengthening transaction controls and enhancing collaboration with regulators and law enforcement. The FCMB case, with limited exposure relative to the amount targeted and ongoing recovery, reflects that shift.

For customers, the primary concern is the safety of their funds. In this case, there has been no indication of losses affecting customer deposits. Maintaining that level of protection remains central to sustaining trust in the financial system.

Nigeria’s financial sector continues to grow, supported by digital innovation and expanding access to banking services.

However, analysts say fraud attempts are likely to persist as systems become more complex and interconnected.

They say institutions will increasingly be judged not only on their ability to prevent incidents, but on how effectively they respond and recover when they occur.

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Ex-APC Deputy Guber flag bearer, Joshua MacIver backs Tinubu, express fears over implosion in Bayelsa APC

Published

3 weeks ago

March 21, 2026

Sahara Weekly

….congratulates new State Party Chairman, Warman Ogoriba

APC Deputy Governorship Candidate in the 2023 general elections in Bayelsa State, Great Joshua MacIver has declared his total commitment to the re-election of President Bola Tinubu come 2027, declaring that the Tinubu re-election project is non-negotiable.

Great Joshua MacIver, in his statement titled ” BAYELSA APC CONGRESSES: GOING FORWARD, A CALL TO LOOK INWARDS” and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, warned APC leaders in the state to look Inward and take note of certain factors which may hinder or cut short our victory.

According to Great Joshua MacIver, such noticeable pitfalls include the imbalance in the united front being put up by the State Governor,Senator Douye Diri among various political blocs in the state.

In the statement issued at the weekend. Great Joshua MacIver stated that “First, before His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, joined the APC in the state, there were clearly two political blocs that made up the party, with the approximate population ratios of the blocs standing at 95% to 5%.”

“After the entrance of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, ONLY THE SMALLER BLOC IS BEING CARRIED ALONG IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE PARTY, leaving the greater percentage to their fate, and this situation has the potential to build anger and dissatisfaction in our dear party.”

” The consequence of this has been the high level defection we have witnessed in the party recently and we believe more may likely follow, if we do not put our house in order.”

” If we do not pull together as a party, we may witness a situation where we will lose key stakeholders, especially after the State and National Assembly Primaries as well the Gubernatorial Primaries.”

“Finally, while it is very clear that we are the party to beat in the 2027 elections and that our loyalty to Mr. President IS NON-NEGOTIABLE, we must make haste to say that we cannot afford to create situations or loopholes in our unity which will be exploited by other political interests in the state. We cannot afford to under-rate anyone.”

“Our core interest remains the re-election of Mr. President, a project to which we have committed our all. We also pledge our total loyalty to the party as we have no alternative to the APC. However, our concern is that we must, as a party, look inwards and ensure that we do not create loopholes that can impede our common goal.”

Great Joshua MacIver, however congratulated the newly elected State Executives of the APC in Bayelsà State led by Hon. Warman Ogoriba, saying their emergence is welcomed at this critical time in our national history.

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How Primate Ayodele Foretold Borno Suicide Bomb Attack A Few Weeks Ago (VIDEO)

Published

4 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Sahara Weekly

“You Can’t Use Primate Ayodele To Score Points For Your Failed Political Ambitions” – Fulani Group Blasts Umar Ardo

At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.

https://www.stanbicibtcbank.com/nigeriabank/personal/products-and-services/all-loans/stanbic-ibtc-mreif-home-loans

More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.

No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.

The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.

This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.

These were his words:

“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”

@primateayodele

#borno #nigeria #fulfillment #security #primateayodele

♬ original sound – Primate Ayodele

Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.

Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.

In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.