ABUJA, Federal Republic of Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, expressed disappointment at the way the conduct of elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers went and particularly described that of Rivers rerun, which was marred with violence, as shameful.
The president made this known at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at its national headquarters in Abuja, adding, however, that he would address the problem of election violence in subsequent elections.
“I am afraid I did not succeed in the election in Kogi, Bayelsa, Rivers. I think more Nigerians are killed or killed themselves in Rivers than in any particular state.
“At this stage of our political development, to remain brutal is shameful and as a government, I promise we will do something by the next general election.
“I want all Nigerians to believe and hold their permanent voter card (PVC) as personal entitlement as Nigerians and use it the way they like, and vote for whoever they like at whichever election. If they voluntarily sold it, it is part of their right and so, let them sell it and remain at home and not participate in any election.
“But let the law enforcement agencies give them the confidence that nobody, who has money to hire thugs and give them drugs, would stop them from exercising their fundamental right.
The president also told the the top hierarchy of APC that whenever they are confronted with question on the bad state of the economy, they should respond by saying the government still have three more years to go.
The president said the country was able to save over N3 trillion with the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
He equally disclosed that probe of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) would soon kick start once there were enough evidences to nail the culprits.
The corporation, he added, was being re-organised to know the exact amount of crude taken out of the country.
On the state of economy, he said “I wonder why people could not believe that in Nigeria, about 27 out of 36 states have difficulty in paying basic salaries of their workers.”
On the TSA, he said “if you go and see the Central Bank governor, he will tell you that in the TSA, we have more than N3 trillion. Where would this money have been if TSA was not in vogue?
“I was made to understand that vouchers would have quickly been raised towards the end of the financial year and checks made. Whether they are going into projects or private pockets, nobody can prove it to you.
“That money is there, it is identified, it is quantified and when the budget comes back eventually, the Ministry of Finance will see how to allocate it to the rest of the country.”
On NNPC, he said “we have tried to make sure it is reorganised, so that we know how much of our crude is taken, how much is sold and to which account the money is going.
“But I tell you that up till the time we came, if anybody told you that he knows how much of crude exchanges hands either on the high sea or reaching their destination and the accounts the money goes into, that person is not telling you the truth.
“We are getting the cooperation of countries that has received this crude. But we have to be sure of the facts in our hands before we start prosecution, so that Nigerians will believe what we have been telling them.”
“I was telling a British team that came to supervise the training team they sent, that when I was in uniform, we took the perceived corrupt ones and put them in safe custody and quietly told them they were guilty until they can prove themselves innocent.
“But now, under multiparty democratic system, I see some of them ride Rolls Royce, some of them have built estates here, but they are innocent until we can prove them guilty.
“This situation is true and you don’t need to stretch your imagination to find out.
“If you can find out, you discover that a level eight officer has five houses, while you, as a permanent secretary or commissioner is still living in a rented house.
“That is the credible thing to do now. We have to get credible evidence to carry out successful prosecution and get judgment from the judiciary.
“Effort is being made to give a list of recoveries in whatever currencies so far, so that Nigerians will know that it is not all about long stories,” he said.
He urged APC members to continue to make sacrifices, adding that when he came on board, he had to cut down on cost by reducing the 42 ministries to 24.
The president also apologised for dissolving governing councils of universities along with the boards of parastatal agencies.
“We gave a blanket order which we had to rescind when we said all boards are suspended or dissolved. We had to go back and lick our vomit in terms of universities councils, because we found out that according to their laws, they cannot choose vice chancellors unless the councils sit and interview candidates who want to be VCs.
“So, there is nothing wrong in saying sorry and going back on your decision. So, we said sorry and allow all the universities to continue with their councils.
“So, please, try to bear with us as we reflect on where we found ourselves,” he said.
On the accusation of globe trotting, Buhari explained that ‘”sometimes, you need to present your case on personal basis to your economic colleagues and neighbours.
“Nothing is better than personal touch and I believe that we are learning a lot and eventually, the nation will realise. So, I don’t envy you on the harassment you are going through from your constituencies.
“Take it with a lot of determination and we will be all right, God willing,” he said.
Buhari said the government had made progress in security, as 14 out of the 774 local governments seized by insurgents had been recaptured.
Speaking on the outcome of the NEC meeting, the national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, while briefing newsmen, said it was resolved at the meeting to establish a budget for the party.
According to him, “we went through all our experiences since the last elections and we have taken decisions as to where are strengths were, where we did not quite measure up and all these are going to be addressed.
“For the first time, NEC has established a budget for the party and we have set up a committee to look once more into the constitution of the party to be able to streamline it.
“More particularly, NEC decided to downsize our Board of Trustees (BoT), in line with all other constitutional amendment.”
Credit: Tribune (Nigeria)
