President-elect Gen.Muhammadu Buhari has gaven a hint of how his government will kick start its fight against corruption disclosing 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 will 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, Sanisu Lamido Sanusi brought the matter to the attention of the government .
Rather than investigate the allegation , Buhari said the government hurriedly removed Sanusi as CBN boss .
The President elect spoke to his visitors in Hausa language. Giving a clear message on the direction his government will go, Buhari cautioned that his administration will not condone stealing of public funds meant to provide jobs for the teeming jobless Nigerian youth.
He said though some government officials are said to be returning money to government, he is not moved by the gesture.
He said “I heard that some people have started returning money; I will not believe it until I go and see for myself.
“Imagine a situation where the former CBN governor who by God ‘s grace would later become 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 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 APC candidate reiterated that his administration will do everything to address insecurity 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 of that was that the military was getting weaker and ineffective by each year.
The President elect who served as a military head of state between December 31,1983 and August 1985 recalled the lofty feats achieved by the Nigerian Army in foreign lands. He wondered why it had been very difficult for it to curb the menace of Boko Haram in the northeast to the extent that some 14 local government areas would be lost to the insurgents.
Describing Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation , he stated that it had become obvious that the sect was not religious oriented but pure terrorism against the nation and the people.
He said “I thank God for your visit. From what he (leader of delegation) has made, this problem of Boko Haram, we thank God it is now evident that this is not a religious problem it is purely terrorism.
“I said it earlier, all the religions we practice both Islam and Christianity do not support terrorism. So, to go and kill people either in the mosque or in a church, market, motor park or to go and slaughter children in school anyone who commits such a crime either does not know what Allahuakbar (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 the (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, there houses have been burnt, their cities like Bama, Michika, Mubi Madagali and the rest of them.
“Some have built houses outside and when trouble starts they don’t even bother to their bags, they take a ride on Achaba (commercial motorcycle) and they flee Nigeria and leave us with the crisis, God help us. I hope those of you who have been elected as members of the legislature: the Senate and the House of Representatives at the Federal and State levels you will work with us.
“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. These are three things that affect all the states in Nigeria.
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