The Nation Newspaper

Tag: BUHARI

  • Fixing security 

    Fixing security 

    • Under Jonathan, Nigeria got as close to state failure as it could ever be. Buhari must banish all that  

    Security is the hallmark of a state. It is all a throw-back to the Social Contract theory, under which the people surrender part of their rights to a sovereign in exchange for security.

    But under President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerians experienced a reverse: the Nigerian state literally cowered before blatant insecurity; and there was no Leviathan to the rescue. Under massive and relentless threat from Boko Haram terror and sundry violent crimes, Nigeria, since independence in 1960, came closest to state failure.

    Worse: the outgoing government’s feeble response was to negotiate down its monopoly of coercion. Examples abound in the oil pipeline protection contracts it signed with firms floated by former Niger Delta militants and the Oodu’a People’s Congress (OPC) cadres. Even the brave Civilian Joint Task Force (Civilian JTF) in the North, which though is playing an admirable role in current efforts to curtail Boko Haram, if not well managed, could be a source of serious future security crises.

    When the government, as the Jonathan Presidency has done, starts ceding part of its coercive powers to groups of citizens, the alarms should start clanging. That is why all that must stop under the Muhammadu Buhari government. What is called for is a new, more efficient and more effective security architecture.

    But the Buhari Presidency cannot do that unless and until it appreciates the roots of the crisis. Over the years, there has, trust-wise, developed a gulf between the central primal security agencies like the Police; so much so that local communities tend to view the Police with suspicion, if not outright hatred. Also, grinding poverty of the majority had steadily alienated the Nigerian state from a big chunk of its own citizens, so much so that state security organs were only the hated faces of the hated state.

    That singular factor drove militancy in the Niger Delta. It also aided the initial growth of Boko Haram, when budding terrorists on motor-bikes attacked police personnel and torched police facilities.

    So, if Nigeria’s centralised primal security agencies appear too far to be trusted by Nigerian local people and communities, the first thing to do is to federalise those forces and agencies. What that means is that the Buhari Presidency must urgently work towards amending laws to legalise state police.

    But since that would require constitutional amendments that could take some time, the incoming government could adopt a deliberate policy of community recruitment of intelligence personnel, both for the police and even the military, and, as much as possible, make those recruits work within their communities.

    That would score two goals: avert crimes before they are committed; and eventually bolster mutual trust between communities nationwide and the security forces. Gradually, therefore, total state authority would be restored, without even appearing authoritarian.

    Beyond federalisation, however, the incoming government must ensure the Police Force is adequately funded; and its budget weaned of the cankerworm of corruption, now widespread. It might also want to consider public-private collaboration, as Lagos State, under Babatunde Fashola, SAN, had gloriously pioneered.

    Federalisation, however, can only apply to the civil security agencies like the Police, Department of State Security (DSS), the National Security and Civil Defence Corps.

    For the military, the Buhari Presidency should opt for a clear revamping. From their clear feebleness against the Boko Haram onslaught, the Jonathan years have left the Army, Navy and Air Force in a shambles, jaded and disoriented.

    So, the new government should re-arm the military, fix the morale of its personnel and make recruitment more transparent. More so, it should further professionalise the military. Since the weeding out of “political soldiers” at the advent of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidency, it would appear Jonathan’s crass politicisation of state institutions has brought the once great military very close perdition. That must not be tolerated.

    Since there are hardly bad soldiers but bad officers, the Buhari Presidency should take a very close look at its officers’ corps and weed out everyone found to have compromised their military essence and betrayed their service oath. That done, military budget too must be sacrosanct. That is the only way fresh investments in ordinance and even training would restore the military’s pride.

    Still, after all said and done, the greatest security of security is a good economy. A sound economy greatly reduces mass poverty; therefore removing the nursery from whence tension breeds.

  • Buhari and the National Assembly

    There is this common tale that many young Nigerians,who enrolled at the Nigeria Defence Academy in the late 1980’s and1990’s,did so with the hope that one day they would participate in a coup, and then they can be appointed a military governor or to other political office. Such was the belief then,that military rulewas routine in Africa, and considering the corrupt enrichment of many military officers serving in political positions then; military career was considered one surest way of securing financialsecurity. However, with the collapse of the cold war, military adventure in politics turned an international pariah, and Nigeria like the rest of Africa, has no option than to behave itself.

    Now, it is believed that such Nigerians who nurse the ambition to get-rich-quickly,by raiding the public treasury, have turned to politics as the route to that Eldorado. Probably because the elective executive positions are limited in number, there is the likelihood that the preponderance of the gold diggers, now aggregate in the legislature. So, while the executive may have direct control over the application of public funds, and could help themselves more than the legislature, there is a higher number of elected legislative officials chasing after public funds, for bad.

    So, the fact that there are many elected officials angling for a kill in the legislative arm,makes dealing with them a lot more difficult and unwieldy. In the states for instance, once the executive governor is happy, he has the powers to whip the rest of his executive gang into line. The same is also applicable to the presidency. On the other hand, to get the legislature on one’s side for any deal, a minimum of half of the number of the legislators, plus one, is needed. In the case of the Senate made up of 109 members, to have a deal, one needs at least 55 senators. For the House of Representatives which has 360 members, the deal breaker, is 181 legislators.

    Of course, each senator or representative has his or her own idiosyncrasies, weaknesses and strong points, among other variables.To wield those variables to achieve any goal, is the challenge of any political actor, who must under the law, deal with the legislators in a democracy. Most likely because of this plurality of interests in context, the legislature is acknowledged as the bastion of democracy and the common will of the people. This philosophical underpinning, may well be the reason why the legislature is consideredsuperior to the other arms of government, in any constitutional democracy.

    Under the 1999 Constitution, the legislature is therefore given pre-eminence over the other two arms of government – the executive and the judiciary.It is the legislature that makes the laws that the executive, executes, and which the judiciary, interprets. Again, it is the legislature that has the control over public funds, which include the power to determine expenditure from the consolidated revenue fund, as provided in section 162 of the constitution. The legislature also has the powers to oversee executive performance, monitor the public expenditure and where it considers it expedient, to sack the executive.

    Considering the enormous powers of the legislature, the executive authority whether at the state or the federal level, usually get interested in what goes on in the legislature. That interest includes, influencing the legislators, in their choice of who leads them. This was particularly noticeable under former President OlusegunObasanjo’s regime, from 1999 to 2007. The result was a high turnover of senate presidents as well as speakers of the House of Representatives. In practice, many support that interference, while others consider it as disastrous for democracy.

    With the ubiquitous powers of the legislature,the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President-elect, Mohammadu Buhari,considering the high expectation from the electorate, should be interested, in who heads the two arms of the National Assembly. But how can the President-elect successfully do that, without giving himself away as dictatorial, or one who has no respect for the doctrine of separation of powers; which is fundamental in presidential democracy. Again, if he gets involved and his preferred candidate fails, he would be a target for blackmail, each time he disagrees with the leadership of the Senate or the House that he never supported.

    Considering the austere involvement of the President-elect as a wheeler-dealer in the past 16 years of our democracy, he may also find it difficult to surreptitiously influence the choices, without clearly showing his preferences.But the President-elect needs all the support from the national assembly, if he hopes to make a success of his tenure; even when many of the legislators see their election as an opportunity to deal with their personal poverty, foisted by past corrupt and ill-mannered politics. Where the President-elect and his party are unable to gain their preferred candidate as heads in the senate and the house, the challenge would be how to convince the legislators to amend their financial expectations as legislators.

    I guess the option open to the President-elect is to exploit his national anti-corruption stature, in dealing with whoever emerges as the President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives.He must set the minimum standard of engagement from day one, and insist on that template without any waiver. If he does, he may lose a few weeks of paralysis in the dug-out; but gain a standard for the rest of his tenure. Of course, the members in the two houses would not have the courage to contemplate an impeachment, in the early months. The alternative is for Buhari to learn to be a wheeler-dealer for the next four years, with its disastrousconsequences, for our country.

  • Obadan to Buhari: revisit privatised sectors

    former Edo State Deputy Governor Peter Obadan yesterday urged the incoming Muhammadu Buhari administration to revisit the privatisation of national companies.

    Obadan noted that this would enable the government to address the myriads of challenges in the power, oil and gas sectors and other key areas of the economy.

    He said revisiting the core privatised sectors would ensure that his cabinet has a good ground to make things work more efficiently.

    Addressing reporters in Benin, the state capital, Obadan noted that “corruption has been the basis” for the country’s sundry woes.

    He said: “We have seen the privatisation of some of these sectors and we have seen them not working. He (Buhari) would want to find out why they are not working. If we are going to reengineer those areas, I am sure he would willingly do that. But I am sure there is a strategic thing already set up.”

    The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) noted that the crises rocking the outgoing Goodluck Jonathan administration were deep.

    He said: “When we look at the Power sector, they (Jonathan team) have had all sorts of strategic plans. They have had all sorts of money injected into it right from 1999 till date. Yet, we have not seen much change. Don’t forget that there is a very serious competition by external factors. You have those who are importing generators and all that; you have those who are importing oil to this country.

    “So, these are people who are ensuring that nothing actually works effectively in the country.”

    Obadan added: “To me, Buhari’s administration will have to go to the drawing board, reassess what has happened and why we have failed to achieve success with the calibre of people he is going to bring in.

    This is because corruption, no doubt, has been the basis for it. We have seen the privatisation of some of these sectors and we have seen them not working. He would want to find out why they are not working.

    “You know the medical professionals, what they call the death throes. When a man is about to die, you find him at the tail end struggling for survival. That is what the country is literarily experiencing. What really they don’t appreciate is the fact that Gen. Buhari has a tenacious grip on the minds and souls of the people who are fed up of the Jonathan administration.

    “It is obvious that Gen. Buhari actually won the March 28 election by at least 80 per cent. But the moment he won the election, there arose this proclivity of people for social disorder to destabilise the incoming administration, cause resentment among the people and ensure that if Gen. Buhari is going to take over at all, he has a tough time.

    “But what they forget is that even tough times don’t last but tough people do. Gen. Buhari is a tough man; he is trying to put together a tough team that will outlast the tough times.”

     

     

     

     

  • Women beg Buhari for gender parity

    President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to consider more women in his administration.

    The president of Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), Mrs Ebere Ifendu, a lawyer, gave the advise at a press briefing in Abuja, where she said the inclusion of women and men perspective and experience into the decision making process would lead to solutions that are more viable.

    Ifendu said the in-coming administration should remember that the “observer reports highlighted large turnout by women to the polls that saw All Progressives Congress (APC), victorious in the 2015 general elections and should therefore be appropriately represented in decision making process.”

    She said despite having very low number of women in the 8th assembly that there are capable women that could be appointed to the post of deputy Senate President, deputy speaker and even Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    Ifendu, however, called on the incoming administration to implement its commitments to the Nigerian women.

    She also emphasised that appointment of women in key positions should target women with proven competence in their various fields of endeavour, stressing that the 35 per cent affirmative action should at least stand.

    Her words: “We draw the in-coming administration’s attention to the statistics published by the inter-parliamentary union as at April, 2015, Nigeria is ranked second last in Africa and at 132nd out of 190 countries that submitted data on percentage of women in parliament. It should be noted that Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Namibia are in the top ten countries.”

     

  • Buhari to inherit N8.1b Presidential Villa debts

    Buhari to inherit N8.1b Presidential Villa debts

    Sambo Committee to submit report today

    When President-elect Muhammau Buhari moves into the State House after the May 29 handover, he will be confronted with N8.185,575,211.50 debts.

    President Goodluck Jonathan will on May 28 conduct Buhari round the Villa – the seat of power in Abuja where facilities are said to be ageing.

    About N3,647,793, 305.76 is needed to fix the infrastructure at the Villa.

    These highlights are contained in a report submitted to the Federal Government Transition Committee, which is headed by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

    The committee is expected to submit its report today to the Ahmed Joda-led APC Transition Committee.

    The liabilities include contracts/service providers (N1,234,913,628.92), staff claims (N1,238,876,080.16), local  contracts commitments and liabilities, including Julius Berger Nigeria (N6, 946,699, 131.34).

    The report said: “The President had on December 3 last year approved the release of N3,394,168,460.95 for the payment of recurrent/overhead debts and capital debts due to other contractors, consultants and service providers. This is yet to be released by the Federal Ministry of Finance, it said.

    President Jonathan, according to the report, on April 15 directed the Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to look into the State House appeal for the release of at least N4billion to make part-payments out of the total outstanding debts of N8,185,575,2111.50 “to sustain the existing mutual and cordial relationships with the owed firms. This is still being awaited”.

    The report said the N8.1b liabilities are outside the expenses on the renovation of the Defence House, the main residence/ president’s office, Aguda House/ Vice President’s office and other guest houses under the transition programme.

    “The bills for these transition programme works are yet to be received and will be additional  to the 2015 annual Service Level Agreement for the State House Facilities with an annual average commitment of N3,531,793,631.77 certified for 2014,” the report added.

    Facilities at the State House have started aging and the budgetary provision increasingly becoming inadequate.

    The report said: “The primary challenge facing the State House has been the inadequacy of successive budgetary appropriations. The State House annual appropriations do not match its actual activities, thereby leading to regular recourse to additional funding from Intervention Fund from the Federal  Ministry of Finance.

    “About 283 of the temporary staff not found eligible for regularisation were with the approval of His Excellency, the President given contract. appointments renewable annually based on performance and fitness.

    “ However, payment of their salaries(an average of N8million per month) is from State House overheads provision, which remains a huge challenge to State House.

    “The existing infrastructure for mechanical, electrical and associated components have aged and are performing well beyond their design lives.

    “The proposal for their replacement/ upgrade has been reviewed and certified by the Bureau of Public Procurement in the total sum of N3,647,793, 305.76. However due to paucity of funds, phased implementation is being adopted for the most vital and critical works, starting with Phase I in the sum of N693, 119,509.55

    “Inadequate office space to accommodate staff of the State House and inadequate operational vehicles for the efficient discharge of the activities of the various departments and units of the State House, including shuttle buses within the State House Complex and between the State House and the State House Medical Centre.”

  • Buhari can’t fix eight years rot overnight, says Obasanjo

    Buhari can’t fix eight years rot overnight, says Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday urged Nigerians to be patient with the in-coming Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Obasanjo said the expectations are enormous, but advised Nigerians to accept the fact that what was destroyed in the last eight years cannot be fixed overnight by Buhari.

    He expressed the confidence that the Buhari administration would “perform,” adding that Nigerians now have  a “ new opportunity” to make the country work.

    Obasanjo, who quit party politics to assume the position of a statesman, spoke yesterday in his Abeokuta residence at the Presidential Hilltop Estate, where he hosted Southwest women leaders.

    The women leaders, including the Iyaloja – General of Nigeria, Chief Folashade Tinubu – Ojo, were led by the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief (Mrs) Alaba Lawson.

    The former President noted that the new opportunity is God – given, adding that the “good things” about the next administration is that the man that would head it, Buhari, is neither “a greenhorn nor a novice” in governance.

    According to him, Buhari was once in the saddle, even if it was under a “different circumstance” and would use his experience to navigate the country to the right direction.

    Obasanjo alluded that Nigerians are quite clever and good followers when one is honest but difficult to manage or lead as soon as a leader begins to practise “cover up” or try to play “ostrich” on them.

    He said that there was a very high expectation about the in-coming government to sort things out quickly for  Nigerians,  but also added that there is equally a high level of goodwill locally and internationally in its favour.

    The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman urged Buhari “not to be frightened” by the enormous expectations and the daunting challenges of the country.

    According to him, Buhari should take the right steps within the next three months of being sworn in when Nigerians are watching and counting to see what would be done to better their lot.

    He advised Buhari to be open to Nigerians, and not take them for granted, praying that Nigeria and Nigerians would not miss this opportunity God has provided to get the country out of trouble.

    Obasanjo said: “When you met me before the elections, there was a very important issue you discussed with me. I raised the issue with the concerned authority and I got a reply that it would be addressed, and I am sure the issue has been addressed.

    “All you have mentioned again here today, we must all look at it together. The situation was like this when I took over in 1999; no light, no fuel, but it didn’t take us so long before the issues of light and fuel were resolved.

    “There’s something very important that I observed – the incoming President has a lot of experience; he’s not a greenhorn. It is not as if he hasn’t been into power before, he is experienced.

    “He knew what we did to turn things around, even when we were there together during the military regime; we did it together, and it was as a result of our performance that we were invited to do it again.

    “What I would say is that we should all put our minds at rest. He’s someone that would perform but we must exercise patience, ýbecause what has been destroyed for eight years can not be undone overnight.

    “Like the Chinese proverb, ‘the journey of a thousand miles starts with a step’, it is not only first step but first step in the right direction because if you took a wrong step, you’re not likely to get to the destination.

    “Let’s give Buhari some time; let’s support him with prayers and relate with him with support. Like you’ve said, it’s everybody’s duty, not only those who have governed before; all of us are keen about Nigeria.”

    Earlier, Mrs Lawson, who lauded Obasanjo for his fatherly role in Nigeria, urged him not to stop advising the incoming administration.

    She said Nigerians are in  agony – over fuel crisis, unemployment and insecurity, among others – and urged the former President not to abandon  Buhari in the onerous task to make Nigerians proud again as two good heads are better than one.

    “So, Your Excellency, we believe that you still have a lot to offer from your wealth of experience and we know that you will honour us.”

    “We pray that you will finish what you have started, now that you have ensured that a government, which you know will take care of the masses, has been elected,” Mrs Lawson said.

  • PDP accuses Buhari of snubbing hand over programme

    PDP accuses Buhari of snubbing hand over programme

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, of snubbing the events lined up by the Federal Government for the May 29 hand over.

    Expressing disappointment with what it termed the lack of democratic discipline by Buhari, the party faulted the non-participation of the President-elect in Christian and Islamic prayer sessions over the weekend.

    Gen. Buhari had travelled to the United Kingdom on Friday to observe a rest after weeks of consultations and crowded post-election engagements with local and international groups and personalities.

    But, a statement yesterday by the National Publicity of the PDP, Chief Okisa Metuh, said Buhari owed Nigerians explanations on why he snubbed the prayer sessions scheduled for Friday and Sunday for Muslims and Christians respectively to usher in four years of his in-coming administration.

  • Akinde advises Buhari, Osinbajo

    Akinde advises Buhari, Osinbajo

    The Bishop of Lagos Mainland Diocese, Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Bishop Adebayo Akinde, has urged President-elect Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Prof Yemi Osibanjo, not to betray the confidence Nigerians have in them.

    He spoke at the third session of the diocese’s Third Synod in Yaba at the weekend.

    He said: “I urge them to make the peoples’ welfare their priority. Endeavour to tackle urgently, issues pertaining to the welfare of the generalities of Nigerians.

    “Make a visible effort to rise up squarely to the challenge of insecurity. Attend to the provisions of basic infrastructure, such as regular power supply, potable water, good roads, improved health care and facilities and revamped educational system.”

    Rev. Akinde called on Nigerians to be patient with the incoming administration, cooperate with it by paying their taxes promptly, be law-abiding, and show concern for government properties and infrastructure.

    He praised President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat in the March 28 election.

    The cleric also praised Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola “for the legacies he is leaving behind’’.

    He urged the Governor-elect,  Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to consolidate on Fashola’s achievements   “and indeed, raise the bar higher in good governance and provision of amenities whereby living in Lagos becomes more pleasant’’.

    Speaking on “Teach the youth today and fashion the future”, Bishop Akinde said the youth must know that they are future leaders and  prepare themselves for this  task.

  • Jonathan seeks prayer for Buhari ‘not to make mistakes’

    Jonathan seeks prayer for Buhari ‘not to make mistakes’

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday  urged Nigerians to pray for the success of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari and the incoming government.

    He said the prayer was necessary so that the incoming government does not make costly mistakes that could adversely impact on Nigerians.

    He spoke during the 2015 Presidential Thanksgiving and Inauguration Interdenominational Church Service at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.

    It was attended by Vice-President elect Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and his wife Dolapo, First Lady Patience, Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Senate President David Mark, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and  Deputy Speaker House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha.

    Jonathan said: “I thank you for the support and I will call on you to pray for us who are leaving, because probably today is the last day I will speak to you here as the President of Nigeria.

    “But you should even pray more for the incoming government because we are now trying to manage our private businesses while they are coming to manage the whole country.

    “So they require more prayers because I can make a mistake and it will affect me, but if they make a mistake it will affect the whole nation. So I call on all of you and all religious bodies to pray for the incoming government to succeed because all what we want as a nation, both Nigerians at home and abroad, is for good government, prosperity, unity and peace. We cannot achieve that without the help of God.

    “I am quite please today we are here not to celebrate disintegration of this country, but we are celebrating the unity of this country. We are here not for service for mass burial, but we are here having service to inaugurate the incoming government.”

    “This being possible because of men and women like you who have been here praying for the country. God has designed everything.” He said

    Recalling that he was in the same church in 2007 as the Vice-President-elect.

    In his message Anglican Primate Archbishop Nicholas Okoh noted that the thanksgiving and praises on behalf of the first family and the incoming government was a period for counting their blessings and give thanks to God like David did in the Holy Bible in Psalm 103.

    He said: “It is the privilege of God that you are going home younger, in good health and with gratitude.”

    “As you leave office, you are leaving behind a new political attitude that no one’s political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian.”

    He urged Jonathan and the first family to continue to trust in the Lord as the global stage now becomes his jurisdiction for peace promotion.

    Okoh called on Jonathan and all Nigerians to forgive all those who have offended them especially in the campaigns and elections period.

    He said: “How many times in this country have we come to a hedge as if the country was going to break up and somehow we come out of it.

    “Nigerians also rejoice because we are not running helter skelter.

    “God saved our country from the prophesy of doom. God saved us. The prophets of doom have been disappointed.” He added

    He said that even though Nigeria lacks some basic infrastructure, Nigerians are not hungry.

    Stressing that peace is an essential ingredient for development, he urged Nigerians to properly manage the present peace in the country.

    He also urged Nigerians to be patient with the incoming government as it takes time to build anything that will endure.

    “And so, we appeal to Nigerians to avoid the syndrome of ‘hossana’ today, ‘crucify’ him tomorrow.”

    The vice President-elect sang praises to God in Igbo, Delta, Hausa, and Yoruba languages when invited to the podium.

    He prayed for God’s mercy, compassion, peace, joy, strength and long life for President Jonathan and his family as they leave office.

    He also prayed that God will make Nigeria what He has promised it to be.

    Scripture Reading 1 was taken by the Senate President from Isaiah 62: 1-7, while the Scripture Reading 2 was taken by Prof. Osinbajo from Luke 17: 11-19.

    An award and two Holy Bibles were given by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to President Jonathan and his wife for his outstanding Christian humility in public service, especially conceding defeat after the 2015 presidential election for the sake of peace.

    Two Holy Bibles were also given to Osinbajo and his wife by CAN.

    Intercessory prayers were said for the first family, the executive, legislature and judiciary arms of government, the President-elect and his family, the Vice President-elect, the church and the nation.

  • ‘Buhari should reduce cost of governance’

    ‘Buhari should reduce cost of governance’

    Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, 82, is a former Minister of Finance under the military administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. In this interview, the former University of Ibadan (UI) teacher, speaks on the general elections and his expectations about the incoming Muhammadu Buhari Administration.

    Can you assess the recent general elections?

    It was a successful election during which Nigerians spoke with their votes and chose their leaders into various elective offices, including the office of the President. The elections also laid to rest the much-talked about disintegration of Nigeria as a country. We thank God for making the election possible amid fears and apprehension. Nigerians must also appreciate the personal contribution of the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan who conceded defect even before it was concluded. This, to an extent, doused tension across the country.

    I rejoice with Nigeria and Nigerians that in spite of the doomsday prediction, it went on smoothly.

    What lesson has the outcome of the elections taught Nigerians?

    I don’t know what lessons the elections have taught Nigerians, but personally speaking, it has shown that there I a limit to which we can rely on the media, including the so-called social media. The media hype on the elections was so high that you will think Nigeria was going to collapse. To God be the glory, the elections have proven pessimists wrong that the media could speculate, create tension, but Nigerians have made up their minds on how to move the country forward.

    In spite of what people say or write, God has destined what would happen and what would be. That’s another lesson. If not that, Buhari would not have emerged the President-elect, if all the negative things said about him were anything to go by. Another lesson is also that the Nigerian electorates are now more enlightened than before and can differentiate between what they want and what they don’t want.

    As someone who worked under Buhari, what should Nigerians expect from his government?

    I expect discipline and austerity, which will later in the years impact positively our economy. I expect him to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria for better; turning the present economic woes to economic gains for the country and Nigerians. I expect him not to compromise his frankness, straightforwardness and thoroughness in the name of anything. In anything he will do as the President, I want him to always place the interest of Nigerians at heart and not that of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    No doubt, because he’s now a politician, his party would have some element of influence on him, but he should always remember Nigerians that voted him into power. He must not compromise critical values he believed in like his anti-corruption stance. Under no circumstance must he concede to people who know nothing but corruption. He must let people know that the situation has changed, through his actions and utterances.

    With the economic situation in the country today, what should be the thrust of the policies you would like Buhari to adopt?

    It is not only his economic policies that are necessary; he must also maintain national stability. There are other many areas in our national life which he must address, if he wants to succeed in office. I suggest that he should address the inability of many state governments to pay workers salaries.  Ordinarily, one may want to say that it is not the Federal Government that is owing, but he should not forget that he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    It is shameful and a national disgrace, as well as unethical and a great disservice for governments not to pay workers that they are using to execute their progrmmes. I urge Buhari to address the issue as soon as he assumes office. If possible, I want him to give state governments that owe workers ultimatum within which to pay or face the wrath of the Federal Government. However, from available records, I must state that state governments  in the country have no business not paying their workers.

    The President-elect also needs to get the cooperation of the trade unions. As much as workers welfare should not be jettisoned by him, I want to canvass that there should not be wage increase for the first two years of his administration.

    Since the first two years should be sacrifice, I also want to canvass for the reduction in the cost of running government by at least 50 per cent. I am of the opinion that we are wasting money in running government. I find it scandalous that our Senate President earns more than the US President. That is spendthrift which must be addressed. Although my suggestion may meet with stiff opposition from members of our National Assembly, but I think this is the best for Nigeria at this critical moment of her economic life.

    The Central Bank governor has tenure of four years. What do you expect Buhari to do about the CBN governor that has another four years to complete his renewable tenure?

    Buhari is not only inheriting the CBN governor, he is also inheriting the entire Civil Service, so he must contend with that reality. Don’t isolate the CBN; as far as I am concerned, the CBN position is governed by law and I know that Buhari is a respecter of law. It is natural that politicians will jostle for positions, including that of the CBN governor, but Buhari should know that there are many of them that are statutory. Hence, he can’t just remove the occupant of such a position without facing the wrath of the law that established them.

    How should Buhari handle the series of new appointments by Jonathan, few weeks to his exit from office?

    My reaction is that he is still the President and can still make or mar, irrespective of what anybody or group says. All these things some people are saying about the appointments Jonathan is making in the twilight of his administration are nothing but pettiness. The task before Buhari’s administration are enormous than appointments. Nigerians must note this.  He can’t succeed without national stability and discipline which we lead to eradication or reduction corruption in the country.

    However, this may be difficult for him to achieve if Nigerians saddle him with mundane and petty issues. The expectation of Nigerians is so high that he can’t afford to reduce himself to petty issues of who gets what. As a former military officer, I know he will handle it with tactics and integrity, putting the interest of Nigerians first.

    Do you think the Buhari of today can still have vigour to effect the desired change in Nigeria?

    I will answer this question by appealing to Nigerians to support Buhari’s administration  and see whether he has or lack the vigour to run the country. As someone who had the chance of working with him, I know he will run this country well.

    He is a man who is highly religious, fears God and has absolute confidence in those working with him. Even as a military Head of State, he was not as dictatorial as many of his adversaries want Nigerians to believe.

    I remember very well that there was a situation when he crossed the name of somebody from a list of contract brought to him for approval. Though I was not the one involved, but I went to him to know the rationale and he explained that he did not want to be blackmailed. He is such a person who carries along his subordinates in the scheme of things.

    There was also an incident when the Chief of Air Staff took a proposal to him to purchase Alpha jet or do something. What the Chief of Staff was expecting was that Buhari in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief would just say ‘minister go ahead’. But, the service chief got the shock of his life when Buhari asked him to get in touch with the Finance Minister. In a military regime, that was strange because the Chief of Air Staff, the Chief of Defence Staff and other security chiefs were expecting the Head of State to call the minister and say ‘minister, call your Perm Sec., and see what you can do’. But, instead, Buhari would say go and convince the Minister of Finance.

    That’s Buhari’s personality for you and I don’t think he has changed.  So, I expect those who will work with him to bear this in mind. As much as he will have confidence in them, they must know that they will be under careful monitoring and they should make sure that they don’t betray the confidence he will repose in them.

    Do you think Buhari will survive the pressure from politicians who bank-rolled his election?

    There is a limit of decadence that Buhari will tolerate, whether anybody or group financed his election or not. Having worked with him, I know he is a very disciplined and courageous man.

    Should Buhari probe the outgoing administration of President Jonathan?

    To me, probe is diversionary and when you talk about it, you continually look back, when actually you are supposed to be moving ahead. Probe wastes a lot of time and I want to advise that Buhari should look elsewhere. But, If in the course of running the country, he crushes people along his way, I am sure he will have the cooperation of Nigerians instead of probe.

    How do you want him to handle the problematic oil subsidy and power sector?

    As a former minister in charge of Ministry of Petroleum, he will know how to handle  the issue.  But, I want to appeal to him to handle the issue with national interest.

    Do you think Buhari has the skill to fight politicians who made him president?

    Why not? Let us wait and see whether he could do that or not. But, if it is the same Buhari that I worked with as Finance Minister, politicians should not expect business as usual.

    I am sure he will not fight them, but he will let them see reasons why certain things can’t be going on, so Nigerians should brace up for austere period, if they want Nigeria to be a better country. They must be ready to cooperate with him, as well as ready to make unconditional sacrifice.

    How do you feel when people blame the military under which you served for being responsible for Nigeria’s current economic woes?

    Financial recklessness? Not in Buhari’s regime. In fact, we managed more debts; this made members of the cabinet to be calling me minister of debt management. Our debt was so high that we were paying both domestic debt and foreign debt. It was a disciplined regime and that was probably why we didn’t last two years before we were kicked out.