NIGERIA: Mixed reactions to Acting President Goodluck Jonathan's appointments in the new cabinet

Record ID: 235138

  • Title: NIGERIA: Mixed reactions to Acting President Goodluck Jonathan's appointments in the new cabinet
  • Date: 7th April 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) TERRENCE KANU, SURVEYOR, SAYING: "We are looking forward to a better performance to what we had earlier with our ailing President ... we are only hoping. It's just unfortunate that most times the high expectations of Nigerians is always disappointed. We hope that this time around we will not be disappointed." BUSY STREET SCENE (SOUNDBITE) (English) GIDINGBI OLAKITAN, LAGOS RESIDENT, SAYING: "I still believe that they are going to help the government to be productive in their activities to better the loss of the country." STREET TRAFFIC
  • Embargoed: 22nd April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA18JZ7EY6MQE2E8BJ31FZGB3X5
  • Story Text: Nigerians offered mixed reviews on Wednesday (April 7), a day after Acting President Goodluck Jonathan installed a new cabinet in a move his supporters hope will herald a period of stronger government and ease months of political uncertainty.
    Jonathan assigned portfolios to 38 new cabinet ministers on Tuesday (April 6), including senior Goldman Sachs executive Olusegun Aganga and former mines minister Deziani Allison-Madueke, who were appointed finance and petroleum ministers.
    With his own team in place, Jonathan can now assert his authority and revive reforms that stalled after ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua stepped away from the public eye last November.
    Some Nigerians expressed scepticism about the ability of the new cabinet to bring change.
    "The Acting President is recycling these old people. We have many young people in this country he can use to fill the gap instead of recycling these old cargoes. I think he suppose to fill it with younger persons," said Adekunle Adiu, a trader in Lagos.
    Others said it was still too early to judge the new cabinet and hoped that they would implement development policies as soon as possible.
    "It's just unfortunate that most times the high expectations of Nigerians is always disappointed. We hope that this time around we will not be disappointed," said Terrence Kanu, a Lagos based surveyor.
    Gidingbi Olakitan was optimistic that the cabinet would deliver services to the people.
    "I still believe that they are going to help the government to be productive in their activities to better the loss of the country," he said.
    Nigeria experienced political turmoil during the prolonged absence of Yar'Adua who had travelled to Saudi Arabia to be treated for acute pericarditis, a heart condition. Since returning to Nigeria in February he has started to receive religious delegations at his home in the capital Abuja, raising questions about whether his health is improving.
    Only 13 months remain of the presidential term, and the acting president has focused the OPEC member's political agenda on electoral reforms, security in the oil-producing Niger Delta, providing more reliable electricity and fighting corruption.
    A power struggle at the helm could limit progress and stall government business in sub-Saharan Africa's second biggest economy, which is largely dependent on its vast oil and gas industries.
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