I’m “reasonably satisfied” with Buhari so far — Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that he is “reasonably satisfied” with the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari since his coming into office on May 29, 2015.

Mr. Obasanjo made the disclosure while responding to PREMIUM TIMES inquiry on why he visited Mr. Buhari at the presidential Villa last week.

Asked whether he raised the issue of alleged lopsided appointments with the president, Mr. Obasanjo said, “I am reasonably satisfied with his performance so far, and I can’t see any reason that will make me raise any alarm at this time”.

The meeting of the two leaders, which held inside the president’s office, lasted for about an hour. Mr. Obasanjo later declined to speak to journalists at the State House about his discussion with the president.

The former president however told PREMIUM TIMES that he was at the presidential villa to report to Mr. Buhari the outcome of his trip to Guinea Bissau and to also discuss “other national issues”.

“He appointed me as his envoy to Guinea Bissau, so I needed to see him to discuss the issue of Guinea Bissau and other national matters,” he said.

The president appointed Mr. Obasanjo to Guinea Bissau to help restore order after Prime Minister Domingos Pereira and his entire cabinet were sacked by President Jose Mario Vaz.

On the appointments so far made by Mr. Buhari, the former president simply said, “I made inquiries and he briefed me extensively”.

President Buhari had been accused of appointing more people from a section of the country, in violation of the constitutionally guaranteed federal character.

The president has also been criticized for failing to form his cabinet more than three months since coming into office.

President Buhari has said he would make cabinet appointments before end of September.