Dr. Junaid Mohammed, a Second Republic House of Representatives member, has lamented the delay in the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.
He told Independent in an interview that the appointment of ministers should have been made before now.
The outspoken critic said if the government takes too long to take shape, there will be unhealthy rumours, infighting within the party and within the National Assembly which has the responsibility of confirmation.
“I find it very difficult to understand the rationale behind the delay in the constitution of the cabinet. Even if there was a rationale and that was acceptable, I think Nigerians who are the real owners of the government, national assembly and the political institutions should be told why there is a delay”, he said.
“By so doing, nerves will be calmed and people will now believe that the government takes them seriously and that the government also believes that the concerns being raised about the formation of the cabinet are genuine. I believe the two months without a cabinet is getting too much for me and other Nigerians.”
On talks that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is scheming to succeed President Buhari in 2023, Mohammed said while everyone was free to run, people were not talking about Governor Fayemi’s ambition.
“I have been reading in the media that there are some political games going on and that Tinubu is hoping to succeed Buhari in 2023. The question people are not asking is ‘what of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state?’
“Fayemi has presidential ambition in 2023 and that is why he has been busy making reckless statements saying that for example, no outsider will take Ekiti land for Ruga settlement. How many lands does Ekiti have?
“As I am talking to you today, 72 per cent of the total landmass in Nigeria is in the North. So, if somebody who can only be president for the Yoruba race is talking about Ekiti not giving their land to outsiders, where is the land? 72 per cent of land and good water resources for farming are in the North.
“So why is everybody focusing on Tinubu? I am not ashamed of him even though he is a very good friend of mine and I have no apology for that. In a democracy, it is not a crime for one to be ambitious.
“If Tinubu wants to be the president of Nigeria and he asks for my advice, I will say go ahead because I will rather have Tinubu as president than have some of the people in the South- East who are also ambitious and who want to blackmail Nigeria into ceding power to them.
“I know that no matter what happens, even if Tinubu were to be drunk, he will be a better President than Goodluck Jonathan. I also know that he is better than Fayemi. The mistake people are making in the Southern part of the country, they imagine that they can ignore a section of the country when it comes to the issue of the presidency.
“You cannot ignore any part of the country. Tinubu has more goodwill among Northerners than Fayemi who is a crook and has criminal records in the United Kingdom (UK).
“It is not a crime to be ambitious and I have no problem with anybody’s ambition, I have problem with anybody who because of his ambition wants to introduce confusion which can lead to mayhem and bloodshed. I don’t want that.”
