Nigeria’s president, Mr Muhammad Buhari yesterday expressed shock over People’s Democratic Party, PDP, bid to stage a comeback to power, despite the atrocities committed against the country.
According to Vanguard, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is currently on a working visit to Kano State, had also on Wednesday night said Nigeria was his main problem
“The atrocities committed by this group against the country is still fresh in our mind, and come to think of it, that they are dreaming to stage a comeback is highly surprising,’’ he said.
The President, who spoke during an interactive session with community leaders in Kano as part of activities to round off his two-day visit to the commercial city, stated further: “This group plunged the country into unnecessary economic mess, owing to wanton looting of our common wealth.”
Fight against corruption most difficult
He revealed that of the three major agenda of his administration, the fight against corruption had been the most difficult due to challenges from competing agencies.
He explained that those saddled with responsibilities for administered justice on corrupt individuals were themselves complicit in corruption, adding that it had become difficult to confront the problem head on.
Buhari said: “In a raid conducted by security agents on the resident of a Federal High Court judge recently, they found in his possession four diplomatic passports, huge amount of hard currency and other incriminating documents bordering on economic crime, and these are the same people empowered by constitution to dispense justice on saboteurs.’’
The President noted that despite the hitches, his administration had succeeded in restoring certain level of sanity, adding that the tempo would be sustained to strengthen the system.
Buhari, who dismissed call by the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi’s II, that the federal government reviewed the ECOWAS protocol, said it was better to seek to live in peace with neighbors.’
He said: “If you could recall, I’ve gone round these neighbouring countries and sought their cooperation, and it’s up-to us to look inward and attend to leakages.’’
Earlier at the dinner organised in his honour by Kano State government on Wednesday night, President Buhari said Nigeria was his main problem.
He promised to remain focused in order to restore the “lost glory” of the country.
Endorsed by APC stakeholders
Also yesterday, All Progressives Congress, APC, stakeholders in Kano State adopted the President and Governor Ganduje as their candidates for the 2019 general elections.
Although President Buhari did not say he accepted, nor did he decline to accept the endorsement in his speech, party leaders, however, promised to procure his nomination forms fand threatened to sue him, if he declined their endorsement.
State chairman of APC, Alhaji Abdullah Abbas, hinged their endorsement of the President on his achievements in the last two years, especially in the area of security, the war against corruption and restructuring of the economy.
He said: “Security is important for everyone, not just for Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. It is even more so for us as a commercial and industrial state.
‘’ We are convinced that you are best for these times when the country has begun to muster energy and resources to develop agriculture, infrastructure and empower the younger citizens.’’
Responding, Governor Ganduje said the party was prepared to drag the President to court to force his acceptance of the second term ticket.
In his response, President Buhari said he understood the clamour by the ordinary people on the streets.
He, however, stressed the need to sanitize party politics by ridding it of vote buying and violence.
“What I saw in the elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers, the use of money and those headless bodies really upset me.
‘’I don’t wish to see that anywhere. I would not have won, if money and killing were the modus of operation. That is my view of politics,” the President said.