President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that he did not personally know the majority of his cabinet members in his first term in office.
The president said this on Thursday night at a meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly held at the new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Mr. Buhari also said that only those tested and capable of delivering on assigned mandates would make the ministerial list.
“Many at this dinner meeting are saying they want to see the list of the proposed cabinet so that they can go on leave peacefully.
“I’m very much aware about it; I’m under tremendous pressure on it. But the last cabinet which I headed, most of them, the majority of them I didn’t know them. I had to accept the names and recommendations from the party and other individuals.
“I worked with them for three and half years at least – meeting twice or two weeks in a month. So I know them.
“But, this time around I’m going to be quiet me, me in the sense that I will pick people I personally know,’’ he said.
The president advised the National Assembly to always avoid comparing their parliamentary procedures with that of advanced democracies such as the United States and the United Kingdom.
At the meeting were Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase.
National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and other presidential aides also attended the meeting.
