Sunday, May 30, 1999 Published at 04:26 GMT 05:26 UK
Obasanjo names key figures
Civilian President Olusegun Obasanjo is handed the constitution
The President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, has made a number of key
military and
political appointments just hours after being sworn in.
They include a new army chief of staff, General Victor Malu, who made his
name with
the West African peacekeeping force, Ecomog, in Liberia, and a new head of
the
central bank, Joseph Sanusi.
Barnaby Phillips in Abuja: President Obasanjo wasted no time in asserting
his authority
General Malu is regarded as one of Nigeria's best respected and loyal
soldiers. He will
be expected to oversee restructuring of the army, to return it to a purely
military role and
prevent further coups.
Mr Sanusi comes to the central bank from the private sector. During the
years of military
rule, billions of dollars of state funds are thought to have been embezzled
by the corrupt
leadership.
President Obasanjo also named the Secretary General of Opec, Rilwanu Lukman,
as a
special adviser on the petroleum and energy sectors, which have been plagued
by
corruption.
The BBC correspondent in Nigeria, Barnaby Phillips, says that by making such
an
appointment, President Obasanjo has signalled his intention to keep key
parts of the
economy closely under control.
Drive to end corruption
Earlier, numerous African heads of state, as well as other foreign
dignitaries, attended
President Obasanjo's swearing-in ceremony which marked the end of more than
15-years of military rule.
Barnaby Phillips watched the handover cermony in Abuja
In his inaugural speech, President Obasanjo said that the kind of corruption
which has
plagued Nigeria for decades would no longer be tolerated.
"Corruption will be tackled head on," he said.
Nigerians gathered in Abuja's Eagle Square to watch the historic moment
"No society can achieve its full potential if it allows corruption to become
the full-blown
cancer it has in Nigeria."
Officials said Obasanjo would name the rest of his government next week.
Both houses
of the national assembly are also expected to be opened early next week, the
next step
towards returning Nigeria fully to civilian rule.
In a farewell speech on Friday, the outgoing military leader, General
Abubakar, defended
his government's record, but urged the army to resist any temptation to take
power again
in the future.
His last move, before handing over power, was to abolish the decree allowing
the
detention without trial.
Challenges ahead
Nigeria's new president faces a series of tough challenges as he takes
office.
Fireworks heralded the change of power. The country has vast reserves of
oil and the
potential to be one of Africa's richest nations.
But the economy has been steadily withering after years of waste, corruption
and
mismanagement.
Meanwhile, unemployment is soaring and much of the population lives in
poverty with
no access to electricity, roads or education.
Mr Obasanjo, himself a former military ruler, insists he will bring Nigeria
back from
economic collapse. Now millions of Nigerians will be watching to see him
prove his
worth.
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