President Muhammadu Buhari will run Nigeria without cabinet ministers for over three months, it has been confirmed.

In an article by the Nigerian leader published yesterday in The Washington Post ahead of his meeting with host President Barack Obama of the United States, Buhari wrote: “When cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will be some months after I took the oath of office. And it is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full Cabinet in place for several months after first taking office; the United States did not cease to function in the interim.

“I cannot stress how important it is to ensure that this process is carried out correctly, just as it has been crucial to first install the correct leadership of the military and security services before we fully take the fight to Boko Haram.”

Deflecting criticisms that he is being unusually slow over the issue, the retired Army General said in the article entitled: “Nigeria committed to good governance and fighting terror’: “It would neither be prudent nor serve the interests of sound government to have made these appointments immediately on my elevation to the presidency.”

He restated his commitment to tackle corruption headlong, saying: “My determination should not be underestimated in other matters. This includes instilling good governance and tackling the scourge of corruption that has held Nigeria back for too long.”

On the war against terror, he had this to say: “Already, we are beginning to see a degrading of Boko Haram’s capabilities as a fighting force. In recent weeks, it appears to have shifted away from confronting the military directly to an increase in attacks on civilian areas, as we saw only last week when an elderly woman and 10-year-old girl blew themselves up at a Muslim prayer gathering in Northeastern Nigeria. We should not be confused by this change, hateful as it is: It does not mean that Boko Haram is succeeding in its aims — it shows that it is losing.

“While we work to defeat the terrorists, I ask the people of Nigeria and the world for resolve and fortitude. The campaign we will wage will not be easy; it may not be swift. We should expect stages of success and also moments when it may appear that our advances have been checked.

“No one should have any doubt as to the strength of our collective will or my commitment to rid this nation of terror and bring back peace and normalcy to all affected areas.”

After the meeting with Obama, Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media to Buhari, tweeted that the US leader said: “Buhari is a man of integrity. Wherever Nigeria goes, Africa goes. The continent’s destiny is tied to Nigeria.”

Obama, according to Adesina, further said: “Nigeria should combine military action against Boko Haram with social and economic programmes. A divided country never succeeds. Turn the diversity of Nigeria to source of strength. U.S is willing to stand with Nigeria as long as Nigeria remains on course.”

•Photo shows President Buhari.

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