President Muhammadu Buhari says the ongoing reorganisation at the presidency is aimed at enhancing service delivery to Nigerians.
A statement by the president’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Saturday, November 16, 2019 said the president stated this when he fielded questions from State House Correspondents; shortly after his arrival from London on Friday night.
President Buhari said: ”It is unfortunate that the recent disengagement of some political appointees from the presidency had been given ‘‘ethnic and political’’ interpretations.
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‘‘They said 35 people were sacked in the Vice President’s office. We just created some ministries and we reorganised and people are giving it ethnic and political dimensions. It is unfortunate.”
Responding to a question on what next for his administration after a well-deserved rest in London; Buhari said: ‘‘We are going to work harder and be accountable.
“We have tried to make Nigerians understand why we do certain things. Accountability from bottom to top is absolutely necessary.
‘‘Whoever is responsible for government property, [should know] it is public property. It is not personal and he has to manage it according to the law.
‘‘That’s what I expect and I think that we have been around long enough to impress on people; that we mean what we say.”
Meanwhile, the presidency has welcomed the elucidation of the Supreme Court ruling in the PDP petition; saying the final verdict is an affirmation of the popular will of Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Friday, November 15, 2019 Shehu stated that the final verdict had reiterated that “the onus of proof must necessarily fall on those that challenge the vote.
“Allegations must be substantiated if they are to hold; this requires producing credible witnesses that verify key claims. As the Supreme Court has stated, the case failed this test.’’
On the issue of qualifications; the Presidency maintained that President Buhari had a long history of service to the nation; saying “the questioning of this fact seems to fly in the face of all evidence’’.
According to him, now it is time for the PDP to take up the service mandated by this election.
He said: “The legislative agenda of the ninth assembly is ambitious in both size and scope.
“It is critical the opposition is there to scrutinise bills and policies; rather than preoccupy themselves with unsustainable court cases.”
