a hint of how his government will
kick-start its fight against corruption disclosing that he will
probe the alleged missing $20 billion from the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Speaking when a delegation of Adamawa State chapter of
the All Progressives Congress (APC) paid him a
congratulatory visit at his campaign headquarters in Abuja,
Buhari declared that his government would revisit the
matter.
He regretted that the outgoing government of
President Goodluck Jonathan did not give the issue
the seriousness it deserved, when the former
governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and
incumbent Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, brought the
matter to the attention of the govern
ment.
Buhari noted that rather than investigate the allegation, the
government hurriedly removed Sanusi as CBN boss. The
President-elect, who addressed his visitors in Hausa
language, giving a clear message on the direction of his
government, warned that stealing of public funds meant to
provide jobs for the teem ing jobless Nigerian youths, would
not be
condoned.
He said though some government officials were said to be
returning some money to the government, he was not moved
by the gesture.
He said: “I heard that some people have started
returning money; I will not believe it until I see for
myself.
Imagine a situation where the former CBN governor, who by
God’s grace later became the Emir of Kano raised an issue
of missing billions of money, not in naira but in dollars, $20
billion.
“What happened? Instead of investigating to know
whether it was true that the money was missing or
not, they simply found a reason to remove him. So,
these are the issues we are talking about.
“This issue is not over yet. Once we assume office,
we would order a fresh probe on the matter. We
would not allow people to steal money meant for
Nigerians to buy shares and stash away in foreign
lands.”
On his campaign promises, the President-elect reiterated
that his administration would do everything to address in
security in the country.
Gen Buhari accused the ruling Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) of playing politics with security agencies,
especially the military. According to him, the implication was
that the military was getting
weaker and ineffective by the year.
The President-elect, who was military head of state
between December 31,1983 and August 1985, recalled the
lofty feats achieved by the Nigerian Army in foreign lands
and wondered why it had been very difficult for it to curb the
menace of Boko Haram in the North East to the extent that 14
local government areas were lost to the insurgents.
Describing Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation,
he stated that it had become obvious that the sect’s
operations were not religion-oriented but pure
terrorism against the nation and the people.
“I said it earlier, all the religions we practice both Is
lam and Christianity do not support terrorism. So, to
kill people either in the mosque or in a church,
market, motorpark or to slaughter children in school, anyone
who commits such a crime either does not know what Allahu
Akbar (God is great) means or does not believe in it. This is
terrorism. It is our hope that God gives us the power to end
this.
“Because of this (Boko Haram crisis), some of our
fellow Nigerians from the North East don’t know
where their parents are; some don’t know where
their children are. Their houses have been burnt,
their cities like Bama, Michika, Mubi Madagali and
the rest of them.
“I urge you to be patient and ensure that anything
that will benefit our nation receives your support.
We will try our possible best and ensure that we
repair hospitals, schools, roads and ensure that we
get drugs in our hospitals, books and other
equipment.
“The 16 years of the PDP has further impoverished
the people, it was the PDP, not the APP, not the CPC, not the
APC. The three things we in the APC will give priority to are
the issues of security, the
economy and the war against corruption.”
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