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| General Muhammadu Buhari, (rtd) |
Reports reaching us have made public the answers given by General
Muhammadu Buhari, who is contesting
for the seat of the president under the platform of the opposition All
Progressives Congress (APC), during his recent interview at the Royal Institute
of International Affair, Chatham House, in
London, United Kingdom.
According to the
report, “Millions of Nigerians have been waiting for his speech to debunk
rumours over his poor health and to ask questions concerning Nigeria’s
challenges”.
The report further
says, Nigerians sent in their questions to await Buhari's arrival and
some of the questions include:
some of the questions include:
When Buhari,lost election in 2011,his supporters went on
rampage&killed
hundreds of people.When will Buhari apologize to Nigerians?
#CHAfrica (@Ucheblack) February 26, 2015
Nigeria is largely dependant on crude oil, a commodity whose
price it cannot control. How do you plan to diversify our economy?— nosa akpasi
(@nakpasi) February 26, 2015
Sir: please, if you emerge winner in this coming election,
how do you intend to tackle corruption and try the PDP goons? #CHAFrica-
Ayodeji (@DjaeDeji) February 26, 2015
What is your position in terms of dealing with the book haram
problem? Are you in favour of negotiating with them? — Eddie (@Edwin_Chuk)
February 26, 2015
The report said Buhari however made the following statements
in response to questions asked him.
On corruption, he says: “I have tried to win the confidence
on those who have scared of me because of my antecedents.”
Asked: What would you do, sir, about the highest salaries of
members of the national assembly.
This question was
reportedly followed by another on what Buhari’s top three priorities would be
in terms of attracting foreign investment to the country.
How his administration plan to carry forward the elimination
of Ebola.
Responding, the report says, Buihari praised the APC
governors Babatunde Fashola of Lagos and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, saying they
were the ones who really experienced the threat of the viral disease.
He was also quoted as saying that: “People in the North are
fighting Boko Haram in their own ways, by sharing intelligence data, for
instance.”
The report adds that in his address proper at London, these
were his responses “Nigerians may expect miracles from me within days or
months. Please, temper high expectations.”
On Boko Haram the APC candidate replied: “Nigeria is in
trouble, we will quickly change this.”
It further adds that Buhari allegedly confirms that he takes
responsibility for the past and accepts that “standing before you is a former
military dictator and a democracy convert.”
It says the former military leader still believes that that
change is possible, which according to him, will have to start from organising
free and fair elections.
Addressing his aim of campaigning he says; “I am running for
president to lead Nigeria into prosperity, not adversity,” the APC presidential
candidate says.
He reportedly adds that all revenue-generating arms of the
government, led by NNPC, would have a single book; while anti-corruption
agencies would operate without government interference.
“Corruption will have no place, and corrupt will not be in
my government.”
Regarding unemployment
and Nigeria’s economic Challenges, Buhari allegedly states thus: “If I am
elected president the world would have no cause to worry about Nigeria,”
“We will not allow problems to fester. I, Mohammed Buhari,
will lead from the front,”
The reports adds that Buhari’s promise, if votedwas that,
his government would not allow the loss of any part of the Nigerian territory
to terrorists.
“We will be tough with terrorism. If I elected the President
of Nigeria, it will have a stabilizing role in the continent.”
“So democracy on the continent, can be viewed from two
prisms, or can be seen as a glass that is half-full.”
The report says he talks, too, about the countries where
democracy has suffered- the likes of Togo, Central African Republic,
Guinea-Bissau and Mali.
Stressing the impact of Democracy as the preferred system of
governance all over the world.
“As you all now know I have been a military head of state,
we jailed for corruption, but the global trial for democracy showed that change
can be brought.”
Meanwhile the opposition accused the spokesperson for
Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign Femi Fani-Kayode, of plotting to organize
anti-Buhari protest in the UK on Thursday.
General Buhari is in London for almost a week. He has
already met with former Prime-
Minister Tony Blair and organized interactive session with
Nigerians yesterday.
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