Nigeria can’t afford to pay 42 ministers – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his government and Nigeria can not afford to pay forty two ministers and that not all the ministerial nominees that have been screened will have portfolios.

He went on to say that he will reduce the numbers of ministries.


Buhari in an interview with Channels TV and The Nigerian Television Authority in New Delhi in India said that he is working with a team of people introduced to him by others that he trusts and must work with them.


Buhari while reacting to questions on the divide in the National Assembly over Rotimi Amaechi’s confirmation as minister said he did not walk into the presidency alone hence he can not work alone and that some of those having problems at the National Assembly he has never met them.

‘This is team work I said I know people but there are people that I accept from other people in our team that I trust without even knowing them.

‘May be those that are having problems in the National Assembly I doubt if I have met him in my life but then I am working with others.

‘I did not walk into the presidency alone. I have to depend on all the three tiers of government from all parts of the country.

Backing the 36 Ministerial nominees Buhari said that he can not work outside the constitution and that ministers must be appointed in conformity with the constitution by appointing a minister from each of the 36 states.

And that these ministerial nominees though representing their sates some will not have portfolios but will be part of his cabinet.

‘We can not work outside the constitution, there must be a cabinet representative from each state.

‘There used to be forty two minister but I think we can nearly keep have half of that now because we can not afford it. Others may not be substantive ministers but they will seat in the cabinet because that is what the constitution said and we can’t operate outside the constitution

We are reducing the number of ministries we can’t afford to pay.