Buhari: I'll Expose How Elite Conspire To Ruin Nigeria, Vows To Deal With Sponsors Of Rivers Violence

President Muhammadu Buhari answers a question during his meeting with the Nigerian Community in Equatorial Guinea yesterday. With him are Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello (right), Nigerian Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea Mr Adadu Echi (2nd right), Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadija Ibrahim (2nd left) and Minister of Defence retired Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigerians would soon see how some of the elite conspired to ruin the country.

Daily Trust report continues:

Speaking in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea yesterday at an interaction with members of the Nigerian community, the president emphasized that he would be relentless in pursuing all those who abused public trust.

Buhari, who was on a two-day visit to the country for talks with President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on measures to protect the people and resources of the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea, reiterated that his administration’s war against corruption would remain “fearless, relentless and merciless”.

“We will be merciless and relentless in pursuing all those who abused public trust. Nigerians will see how some of the elite conspired to run the nation down,” he said.

Buhari condemned the recent political violence in Rivers State, describing the killings over political differences as primitive, barbaric and unacceptable.

“We will deal decisively with all sponsors of violence. I have given the security services clear directives in this regard. We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during or after elections,” he added. Buhari also disclosed that his administration would encourage the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explore the possibility of Nigerians abroad voting in the 2019 general elections.

He noted that some African countries had started allowing their citizens resident abroad to vote in national elections, saying he fully empathized with the desire of Nigerians in the diaspora to vote in national elections.

The president said he would do all within his powers to fulfil that desire, adding: “I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders”. He also disclosed that establishing a new national airline was not currently on his administration’s list of priorities.

Responding to complaints by members of the Nigerian community about the absence of direct flights between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, Buhari said the main area of focus of his government now was reducing the level of poverty in the country.

Buhari Vows To Deal With Sponsors Of Rivers Violence

President Muhammadu Buhari

•President: no mercy for looters
•’National airline no priority now’

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday condemned the political violence in Rivers State, describing it as “primitive, barbaric and unacceptable”.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, Buhari said: “We will deal decisively with all sponsors of violence. I have given the security services clear directives in this regard.

“We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during or after elections.”

The President spoke in Malabo at an interactive meeting with Nigerians resident in Equatorial Guinea.

President Buhari said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be encouraged to explore the possibility of Nigerians abroad voting in the 2019 general elections.

Noting that some African countries now allow their citizens resident abroad to vote in national elections, the President said he empathized with the desire of Nigerians in the diaspora to vote in national elections.

He promised to do all within his powers to fulfil that desire.

“I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders,” he said.

President Buhari also said that establishing a new national airline was not on the Federal Government’s list of priorities.

His administration’s main area of focus is reducing poverty, he said.

The President said that developing the infrastructure needed to boost production in all sectors of the economy and creating more jobs for young Nigerians and other actions that will directly improve the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians will continue to be prioritised by his administration.

President Buhari was responding to complaints by members of the Nigerian community about the absence of direct flights between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

He assured them that his administration’s war against corruption will remain “fearless, relentless and merciless”.

“We will be merciless and relentless in pursuing all those who abused public trust. Nigerians will see how some of the elite conspired to run the nation down,” he said.

Rivers APC chiefs have alleged that 32 of their members have so far been shot, clubbed or beheaded in the run up to Saturday’s election.

The killings started before last year’s general election. A report of the Rivers Commission of Inquiry headed by the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, said a monthly average of 19 killings occurred in the state between November 2014 and April 2015.

The Commission noted that of the 97 allegations of killings it received, 94 of them occurred between November 15, 2014, and April 11, last year.

This report, Odinkalu said, reaffirms that no state or country should allow a repeat of such violence in the name of politics.

Reacting to the recent brutal killings, Governor Wike described those killed as cultists, saying killings were done in the course of clashes by rival cult members.

He slammed the APC for claiming killed cultists as their members.