Says stiff penalty awaits culprits Bags Equatorial Guinea highest award
By Abdullahi M. Gulloma
Malabo
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, accused the directors and other officers below the rank of Permanent Secretary in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as brains behind the recent padding of the 2016 budget estimates.
Speaking at an interactive session with Nigerians living in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, the President said the affected civil servants replaced what he presented to the National Assembly with their own version.
The president said government would decisively deal with those who abused public trust because the concept of ‘budget padding” was strange to him, despite his long public service record as a former minister, military administrator, Head of State and chairman of Petroleum Technology Fund (PTF).
He assured that the present administration would remain “fearless, relentless and merciless” in its fight against corruption until every single kobo stolen from public coffers are fully recovered.
Buhari also said stiffer penalties await those who abuse public trust, stressing that government would confiscate all property purchased with stolen funds and return them to the Nigerian people.
“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.
The president also condemned recent political violence in Rivers state, saying that the killing of people over political differences was 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 said.
He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), would be encouraged to explore the possibility of Nigerians abroad to vote in the 2019 general elections.
Noting that some African countries have started allowing their citizens resident abroad to vote in national elections, the president said he fully identified with the desire of Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote during national elections.
The president said he would do all within his powers to fulfill that desire, adding that “I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders.”
President Buhari also said that establishing a new national airline was not currently on the federal government’s list of priorities, stressing that the present administration’s main area of focus now was reducing the level of poverty in the country.
He said developing the infrastructure needed to boost production in all sectors of the economy and create more jobs for young Nigerians, as well as other actions that would directly improve the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians, would continue to be prioritised by the present administration.
Meanwhile, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea has conferred on President Buhari the country’s highest national honour of the Grand Collar of the Order of the Independence.
Speaking at the investiture ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Malabo, President Mbasogo said the award was bestowed on President Buhari “in recognition of the good things he has been doing for Nigeria and Africa.”
“We deem it fit to honour this son of the soil for his personal integrity, exemplary leadership style and courage to fight terrorism in order to ensure peace and safety in Africa.
We deem it fit and appropriate to honour this son of Africa for the great work he is doing, which includes tackling Boko Haram, a great menace to the continent,” he said.
Responding, Buhari thanked his host for the honour done to him in particular, and the nation in general, dedicating same to the people of Nigeria, who, he said, had worked tirelessly for peace in the country and Africa.
“I will like to express profound gratitude for the honour given to me and my people. There has never been a time for greater neighbourliness on our continent in the interest of peace, security and economic stability than now,” he said.
