Notwithstanding the recent damning verdict on the state-of-the nation by a former Defence Minister, General Theophilus Y. Danjuma (rtd), President Muhammadu Buhari said the former’s opinion was least important compared to that of millions of Nigerians who re-elected him during the 2019 general elections.
What Danjuma said
Speaking late last year at the launch of a book during the launch of a book by the Nigerian Tribune at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state, Danjuma said the country was in a big hole.
He told the gathering that if he disclosed what was happening in the country, people would lose their sleep.
“In Yorubaland, everybody seems to have lost their voice. People appear not to care about what is happening. If I tell you what I know that is happening in Nigeria today, you will no longer sleep,” Danjuma had said.
Continuing, the former army chief said: “If you want details, I will give it to you privately. We are in a big hole as a nation. And people who put us in this hole have continued today. So, we have to wake up.
“We are the ones who can save ourselves. The fifth columnist activities going on among your people are not helping matters.
“May Almighty God continue to bless this country. But only we can save ourselves from ourselves.”
Buhari fires back
However, in a response to the seeming indictment of his administration, President Buhari, said he was enjoying the confidence of Nigerians, thus making that of one man of no importance.
The president was quoted as saying this in an exclusive interview with The Interview by email released in Abuja Saturday.
In a statement Sunday by the medium’s MD/Editor-in-Chief Azu Ishiekwene, a copy of which was sent to Blueprint, the president also said he was in a perfect relationship with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
“Asked if he was concerned about the vote of low confidence expressed by Danjuma during a recent book launch in Ibadan, Buhari said, “And what is the vote of confidence of Nigerians in me, as expressed in the polls last year? That is what matters more, not the opinion of one man,” the statement said.
Danjuma’s comment, Ishekwene said, “has been viewed in some quarters as an expression of lack of confidence in Buhari’s government, and a blow from a man who is widely believed to have been one of Buhari’s major financial pillars.
“The president, however, said his re-election was a vindication of his voters’ confidence and support for him and his government’s policies.”
“On his relationship with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Buhari said things were “perfect”, between them.
“He was asked to rate his relationship with his deputy on a scale of one to ten. But the President replied, “Perfect. Or has he complained to you?”
The statement further said: “This interview, published on our website: www.theinterview.ng is a window on what the President is thinking about some of the most important issues of his second term so far, from the Economic Advisory Council to the rule of law; and from his relationship with his deputy and 2023 to the country’s debt profile.
“He also commented on the insinuation that a “cabal” runs his government; his promise to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty; and criticisms that his claim that he is now a “reformed democrat”, is fake.”
Osinbajo
Meanwhile, Vice president Osinbajo has admitted that the social safety net programmes of the federal government were still far from impacting the lives of majority Nigerians who needed to be assisted.
The vice president spoke in Lagos Saturday night during the unveiling of Airtel Touching Lives Season 5.
Osinbajo lauded Airtel for its “wonderful acts of giving and caring,” stressing that “truly what separates humankind from all other creatures is the capacity for kindness.
“So, I want to thank Segun (Ogunsanya) and his team at Airtel for touching so many lives over the past five years. Listening to each story of the lives that have been touched this evening must remind us of the many others who need our help, our comfort and our kindness. The poor and the vulnerable will always need a voice.”
The VP recalled that the duo of Mr Wale Edun and Professor Pat Utomi met to write some portions of the manifesto for the All Progressives Congress, particularly those bordering on some social safety nets.
This, he said, had continued to guide the administration in the discharge of its responsibility towards the weak and the vulnerable.
Reeling out the components of the social safety scheme, Osinbajo said: “We are feeding about 9.5 million children in 34 states now across Nigeria in all public schools. We are giving monthly cash to about a million households as part of our conditional cash transfer scheme.
“We have also engaged about 500,000 young men and women who had been unemployed for different periods of time under our N-Power Programme. In spite of all these social safety net schemes,we are still very far from touching the majority of those who need help. It is clear that to do so; we need far more resources – to put far more resources behind that programme.
“Because we can’t do it all, this is why the work of socially-conscious organisations like Airtel is so vital – bridging the huge gap between what government can do and what is left to be done. So, as you celebrate the fifth year of this programme, we congratulate you and pray for all members of the Airtel team and their families that as you have shown such great kindness to so many, you will always find help and kindness.”
Also speaking at the event, Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu commended Airtel for touching lives through its CSR initiative.
He urged individuals and organisations who had done very well in their lives to emulate the Airtel example by assisting the less privileged in the society.
The governor said: “Government cannot do it all and that is why organisations like Airtel have seen that they need to work with us and not behind us.
“As partners, we work for the greater good of the citizens of Nigeria.
“Airtel has been going out of its way to really touch lives and has also contributed to Lagos State Security Trust Fund by giving us over 200 lines for all our security operatives in the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).”
