On
Wednesday, December 30 President Muhammadu Buhari gave his first ever
Presidential Media Chat. Four journalists, led by Kayode Akintemi of Channels
Television, interviewed the president.
The Nation/GRAPHITTI NEWS report continues:
The
President spoke on issues such as:
Federal lawmakers’ cars
He
urged Nigerians to take the issue of ₦50 billion proposed for
federal lawmakers’ cars to court, adding that if he could reject ₦400
million personal cars as a president, he expected the lawmakers to toe the same
line.
“For
all I know, the first time I turned down a ₦400 million bill for cars
for the Presidency. I said the vehicles I am using are good enough for the next
10 years.
“But
I understand there is a pool for the protocols when Heads of States and
Governments visit they have to buy vehicles. As for the National Assembly, we
are having problems with them on the Treasury Single Account (TSA), everybody
has to subject himself to the TSA as long as federal money is involved.
“But
I turned down about ₦50 billion for vehicles, I think I have to hold a closed door
meeting with them and I think they have not bought them yet.
“₦47.5billion
for vehicles for National Assembly members? I think I will explore the
possibility of that power. If I can turn down ₦400 million for vehicles
in the Presidency, I think we don’t need new cars; we can manage the old ones
because of the economy. I can’t see the National Assembly spending more than ₦40
billion to buy cars on top of transport allowances they collected. I have to
revisit this story. They get ₦100 billion for their allowances.”
Corruption war
“I
think we are doing quite well, considering the circumstances, first, this will
be best illustrated by my personal experience. In fact, 30 years ago when
I was in uniform as Head of State, we arrested people who were perceived to be
corrupt and put them in protective custody and we told them they are guilty
until they can prove themselves innocent. Now I am here in a different form, in
a multi-party democratic system and the nation we are looking forward to
cooperation, under the circumstances we found ourselves in – security wise and
economic wise, even morally.
“The
only acceptable decision to them is those suspected to be corrupt are innocent
until they are proven guilty. Having said that we have been lucky to find some
documents, where public funds were diverted to personal pockets.
Illegally
lifted crude
“We
have some documents where Nigerian crude oil was lifted illegally and the
proceeds were put into personal accounts instead of the Federal government
account and of course we have started going to court. We got evidence and we
are taking the people to court and whatever is in the court, we will not
comment until we see what they do with the documents we presented and how the
attorney general and minister of Justice, …
“There
are terrible cases of corruption and we can only appeal to Nigerians to be
patient.” He added
Recovered cash
“Our
main constraints, eventually, the persons have to find themselves in court and
under any circumstances we cannot pre-judge what the court will do but the
document we are going to submit and how the government will add to it through
the Minister of Justice, is what we have to develop the patience to do because
once we go to court, we shall keep our mouths shut. We cannot determine issues
when they are still in court.
“Money
has been recovered but the fact that whatever we recovered we have to end up in
court because Nigerians are entitled to know the truth and the truth will be
what the court has discovered by submissions made to them in terms of documentation,
including the bank statements where it was lodged ,how it was lodged whether it
is petrol, money from NNPC or money from customs, or money directly from
central bank, when we do that, Nigeria will be better.” He said
His assets
On
when he will make full declaration of his assets based on his promise, he said:
“I have declared my assets four times. I started during Murtala administration.
I declared when I was military administrator or northeastern states, I declared
when I was a member of supreme military council and minister of petroleum and
when I was leaving for the war college in 1979 and when I became head of state
in 1983, I declared my assets. But when I was removed I did not declare because
I was in detention. And when I came back as civilian president, I declared,
making four times.
“If
you want my declarations, you have the constitutional right to go to the Code
of Conduct Bureau. All my declarations were documented in the Ministry of
Justice. So if the ministry of justice cannot produce my declarations, they too
should answer some questions on where they keep declarations of public
officers. I don’t have to ask them to provide my declarations.
Chibok girls
On
moves to bring back the Chibok girls, he said: “This is about the third time I
will answer on Chibok girls. I could recall that so many leadership of Boko
Haram existed. But we insisted on establishing the bonafide leadership of the
so-called Boko Haram leadership before we can agree to negotiate with them on
what terms will be of interest to us before we can take them to their schools.
“Secondly,
we want to ensure that they are complete, 209 and they are safe and sound. But
what we also found talking to a lot of sources is that no Chibok girl has been
recovered, they must have dispersed them all over the place, and wanted as far
as humanly possible, although some of their parents are desperate they would
rather see their graves or the conditions some of them should be in.
“We
are still keeping our options open, that if a credible leadership of Boko Haram
can be established and they tell us where those girls are we are prepared to
negotiate with them without any pre-condition. This we have made it absolutely
clear, but where they are keeping the Chibok girls, they must not get away with
the idea that we will not attempt to secure the rest of Nigeria.
On
whether he has intelligence reports on the girls whereabout, he said: “That is
what I’m looking for. We are looking for a credible Boko Haram leadership that
will convince us that the girls are there and alive. If any of Boko Haram can
come out to say it is the leader and that he knows where Chibok girls are we
cannot automatically believe him.
“That
kind of information, I’m working with Niger, Chad and the Cameroon and I assure
you that the question of Chibok girls is only on our minds for even
humanitarian reasons, but there is no such intelligence reports of where those
girls are physically are and in what condition they are in, but what we believe
in from our intelligence, is theta they keep shifting them around so that they
are not taken by surprise until the girls are freed, and they are not kept in
one place.
On
if he has any cogent reliable intelligence reports to say Chibok girls are
still alive, he said: “…And are in one place, that is right, that is the honest
truth.”
“Marginalization” of the
Igbo
“When
I have Boko Haram, I have the militants, and now Biafra, they say they are marginalized,
but they didn’t define the extent of their marginalization. Who is
marginalizing them? Do you know? Marginalized how? Who is Minister of State for
Petroleum, is he not Igbo? Who is the CBN governor, is he not Igbo? Who is the
Minister of Labour, Is he not Igbo? Who is the Minister of Science and
Technology, is he not Igbo? Who is the state minister of education, is he not
Igbo. So what do they want?”
Army/Shi’ite clash
“I
was in touch with the governor of Kaduna State and the president of Iran talked
to me about it. We have a system of investigation as a government and as the
head of the Federal Government, I have to wait for official report before I
comment.
“The
Police and the SSS are doing their own role of finding out what happened. In
any incident where lives and property are lost, there is a standard way of
doing things and people would be asked to come and give evidence. How can any
group create a state within a state? I saw a clip in which some dissidents were
virtually hitting the chest of Generals.
“I
expect the Kaduna State government will bring the report on the inquiry because
the crisis happened in its domain. There are all sorts of allegations. So, we
just have to wait for the report.
“The
President of Iran spoke to me about the situation. But, I told him that as a
government we have a system we must follow. As the head of the Federal
Government, I told him I will have to wait for the official report from the
Kaduna State government from their investigations. To be fair to the both
sides, we have to wait for the report of the inquiry.”
IDPs
“The
Benin IDP camp is a good intention that went sour. Despite the problem, the Edo
State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, was kind enough to have found school for the
children. The Federal Government is aware of the situation and ready to take
them to where they came from.
“We
have about two million IDPs; over 70 per cent are women and children. Over 65
per cent of the children are orphans. Some Nigerians contributed money, about ₦25
billion, a committee was set up to utilize the funds. Within the week I
was sworn in, I went to Chad and Niger. I was impressed with the goodwill they
gave Nigeria on this issue.
“The
G7 has sent training teams, and have given us some military hardware. We are
more concerned with the orphans, a chance for them not to lose the opportunity
for education. Some progress is being made on the ground.”
Railway
project “`By second quarter of 2016, we will take the Chinese contractors back
to continue with the railway project,’’ the president said.
Fuel subsidy,
“We
will not be talking about subsidy by the end of first quarter next year.
“I
hope that our refineries will be working. We cannot do it overnight, but that
is our priority now to get them working.
Jobs
“All
these things will take time. We said during our campaign that we will diversify
the economy to agriculture and solid minerals.
“
We are hoping that these sectors will generate jobs and our budget has shown
that we will focus on those sectors.
“Also,
we have focused on education and other key sectors of the economy.
“Some
investors are ready to come and invest in those sectors but our problem is to
secure this country first,’’ the president said.
Employment
“We
said agriculture and solid minerals are the easiest way to get people employed
and our budget would show that. We have virtually all forms of solid minerals
across Nigeria.
“We
would employ youth, give them crash programme on Education and send them to
teach at Primary schools.”
Refineries/subsidy
“Our
priority now is to get our refineries working. By the time we finish what we
are doing, 60 per cent of the allocation of crude oil for local refining and 40
per cent would be used for crude oil swap. Previous government failed to
maintain four refineries, pump stations and pipelines, at a time oil was sold
at over US$100 per barrel. By the end of next quarter, you will not be talking
of subsidy. The price is so low that there is no need to subsidize anything.”
Devaluation of
naira
“I will not support
devaluation of the Naira. I need to be convinced that there is need for the
country to devalue the Naira. Is it against the dollar or pound? We have our
priorities. To provide money to fund the projects we have already outlined, and
not for those who want hard currency to import textile and toothpick.”
Why We Can’t Release Dasuki, Kanu — Buhari
The
Nation reports that President Muhammadu Buhari last night justified the
continued detention of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki
(rtd) and leader of the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.
He
said those who committed serious crimes against the country cannot be granted
temporary freedom because they could jump bail.
Speaking
during his maiden “Presidential Media Chat” on television, Buhari said the
severity of the crimes allegedly committed does not permit granting them bail.
“Technically,
if you see the type of atrocities these people have committed against the
republic, against the country, when you think about it, you can’t allow them to
jump bail,” he said.
Apparently
referring to Dasuki, he said: “Technically if you see the kinds of
atrocities those people committed against the country. If they jump bail, see
the former President wrote to the governor of central bank and said give N40bn
to so so and so, and then he gives account and you release him to go and see
his doctors in London, while about 2 million IDPs who don’t even know their
parents; what kind of country is that?
“And
the one you are calling Kanu, do you know he had two passports, one Nigerian,
one British, and he came into the country without any. Do you know he brought
an equipment into this country and was broadcasting, Radio Biafra; which kind
of government do you think should harbor that kind of person? There is a
treasonable felony against him and and I hope the court will listen to the
case.”
On
the insurgency and the abducted girls, the President said the Federal
Government was open to negotiating with credible leaders of the Boko Haram
sect.
He said:
“We want to be sure that the girls are complete, safe and sound before we attempt
any form of negotiation on the girls. We are still keeping our options open. If
a credible leadership of Boko Haram is ready for negotiation without any
condition we are ready to listen to them.”
Meanwhile
Other Media reports that President Muhammadu Buhari has given reasons why his
government has refused to release a former National Security Adviser, Sambo
Dasuki, and the coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu,
despite several court directives.
Mr.
Dasuki, who is facing trial for allegedly diverting and sharing over US$2.2
billion dollars meant for arms procurement for the anti-Boko Haram war, to
politicians and cronies, was on Wednesday re-arrested by the State Security
Service after he had been granted bail by three different courts.
Mr.
Kanu, who is spearheading the quest for an independent nation of Biafra, was
earlier granted bail by a Federal high Court sitting in Abuja, but he was also
re-arrested by the SSS, which slammed a fresh charge of treasonable felony
against him.
Speaking
during his first presidential media chat at the presidential Villa in Abuja on
Wednesday, Mr. Buhari said the two accused persons cannot be allowed to enjoy
any form of freedom due to the enormity of their offenses.
“If
you see the atrocities these people committed against this country, we can’t
allow them to jump bail,” he said.
Mr.
Buhari said Mr. Dasuki was simply sharing government’s money the way he liked.
“They
would just say to Central Bank give so and so, 40 billion naira just like that;
40 billion,” he said.
He
also said it would be bad to allow Mr. Dasuki “travel to London to see his
doctor” arguing, “What of the over two million people displaced, most of them
orphans whose fathers have been killed, what type of government do you want to
run? We cannot allow that”.
Mr.
Buhari also said despite having two international passports, one for Britain
and the other for Nigeria, Mr. Kanu “did not use any of them to come into the
country”.
He also said the IPOB
leader smuggled in equipment with which he came in to preach hate messages.
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