FACT CHECK: Buhari Lied About Obama’s Cabinet Inauguration

President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that the United State President, Barack Obama did not constitute his cabinet several months after inauguration is untrue, a fact check has revealed.

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) extends his hand for a hand shake with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari (L) during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House July 20, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Buhari in an opinion article published in the Washington Post had said he will appoint members of his kitchen cabinet in September, 4 months after he was sworn in.

“When cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will be some months after I took the oath of office. It is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full cabinet in place for several months after first taking office; the United States did not cease to function in the interim” President Buhari said.

READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Buhari Meets John Kerry At US State Department

Buhari added that it won’t be in the interest of Nigerians if he had appointed ministers immediately he was sworn in.

“In Nigeria’s case, it would neither be prudent nor serve the interests of sound government to have made these appointments immediately on my elevation to the presidency; instead, Nigeria must first put new rules of conduct and good governance in place.”

READ ALSO: President Muhammadu Buhari Insults Nigerians By His Washington Post Op-Ed?

Check conducted by budding prolific writer, Ofili speaks, revealed that Barack Obama appointed/confirmed 13 of 15 of his cabinet members within a week of his inauguration. Obama was inaugurated January 20, 2009.

 Details Of Appointment/Confirmation of Obama’s Cabinets

– President Barack Obama Inaugurated January 20, 2009
– Hillary Rodham Clinton assumed the office of Secretary of State on January 21, 2009
– On January 26, 2009, the U.S. Senate confirmed Geithner’s appointment as Secretary of the Treasury
– On December 1, 2008, President-elect Obama announced that Robert Gates would remain in his position as Secretary of Defense during his administration
– On December 1, 2008, Obama announced that Eric Holder would be his nominee for Attorney General. Holder was formally nominated on January 20, 2009
– Ken Salazar assumed the office of Secretary of the Interior on January 21, 2009 after a unanimous voice vote on the floor of the full Senate
– Tom Vilsack assumed the office of Secretary of Agriculture on January 21, 2009
– Hilda Solis assumed office as Secretary of Labor on February 24, 2009
– Shaun Donovan was confirmed as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development on January 27, 2009.
– Arne Duncan was confirmed as Secretary of Education on January 21, 2009.
– Eric Shinseki assumed the office of Secretary of Veterans Affairs on January 20, 2009
– Janet Napolitano assumed the office of Secretary of Homeland Security on January 21, 2009.
– Steven Chu was unanimously confirmed as Secretary of Defense by the U.S. Senate on January 20, 2009.
– Former Republican Congressman Ray LaHood was confirmed as Secretary of Transportation on January 23, 2009

The check also revealed that 1 of the 13 appointments, Robert Gates, was “confirmed technically in December 2008” before Obama was inaugurated.

“The remaining 2 of the 15 … Gary Locke Secretary of Commerce (confirmed February 23 2009) and Kathleen Sebelius Secretary of Health and Human Resources (confirmed April 28, 2009) were nominated later than one week” Ofili wrote.

Meanwhile, Buhari has said his government will not spare any member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as associates found culpable of corruption.

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