Former Governor of Kano State and immediate past Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau yesterday in Kano threw his weight behind the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that it must be waged with honesty, transparency and fairness.
Shekarau who spoke with reporters in his residence while marking his 60th birthday, also opened up on his political rivalry with immediate-past governor of the state, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.
Shekarau said his belief in anti-corruption and due process saved him from being probed and persecuted by Senator Kwankwaso who took over from him in 2011.
He added that for political reasons, Kwankwaso deliberately refused to pay him entitlements as a pensioner and as a former governor. “Kwankwaso did not pay me a dime as stipulated by the pension fund law which was enacted during my tenure,” he said.
“For the purposes of showing how dear the issue of anti-corruption is to us, we put in place all measures in my government, there wasn’t any major project that were executed that did not go through the due process.
“I want to boldly say that perhaps that is what made it difficult for the last government; in spite of the fact that when he first came in few months, he was shouting all over the place that somebody was corrupt, that he stole a lot of money, and we challenged him to come out with the facts – the records are there.
“From one single pencil we purchased to the last biggest contract we awarded, we made all the vouchers available at the disposal of my friend, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso for four years and we said let him bring out any single fraud as far as our eight-year government is concerned; and by the end of the day, nothing came out of it.
“And we all aware that there were deliberate effort to scrutinise, to follow-up … So, as far as anti-corruption is concerned, I am totally in support of the crusade, but it has to be transparently done. It has to be fairly done; it has to be justifiably done. There has to be the due process.
“It is not just enough if I see you have billions of naira, then I conclude you are a thief! Until I find out how did you come about your billions, what happened, how did you acquire this? If I see you with a new car and I jump into the conclusion that you fraudulently acquired it in your place of work? If I see you in a new house, I will now say it is fraudulently acquired?
“Then, look at it from the religious point of view, so, I pray that it is going to be fair and just and there will be no scape-goat. There will be no exception regardless of your political leaning, there will be no exception regardless of your ethnic leaning, and since it is not yet time for us to see whether all these characteristics are complied with, I don’t think it is proper to pass any judgment for now.
“I only pray the government will succeed, and even those of us who are not in the government, we are praying because that is the main thing a credible leadership at all levels that must be transparent and accountable needs.”
Shekarau, who is the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano, said it is too early to assess President Buhari’s government in terms of fighting corruption, but insisted that certain adjustments need be made if the president really want to succeed.
“Yes, I am in the opposition, and the opposition is naturally supposed to pick holes in the act of governance and the activities of those in government, make some assessment. So far, I don’t intend to rush into passing judgment. We are watching and we are putting their activities on the scale. Principally, President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has been emphasising on anti-corruption.
“I am totally in support of anti-corruption. Those who know me and those who work with me know that it is a no-go-area; and we don’t give any room for that. And the key thing is running a government through exemplary conduct and I don’t intend to praise myself, I don’t intend to pass judgment on what I have done.”
Shekarau advised President Buhari on how best to tackle the perennial security challenges. “I have said this a number of times. During my presidential campaign, I mentioned it that there are four fundamental issues that unless you addressed them, you have not started, no matter what you do.
“Number one, you must look into the welfare of the security agents. If you don’t address their welfare, you are wasting your time. We must address the issue of training. I was not too long ago discussing with Walin of Kano who had some few years back worked with my own father as a Native Police, before their conversion into Nigeria Police in the 70s, he said during their days, from the recruit to the highest police officer, nobody will spend six months without going for one kind of refresher course or the other. You will either be asked to go to Jos or Kaduna for one week.
“Today, some of them for 10 years, they don’t cross any borders of any state for training. Number three, equipment. You have to equip the security agencies properly. Number four, unless you address the pension issue of security agencies. I don’t accept a situation whereby a retired soldier, a retired police, retired armed forces, will have to go on demonstration before their entitlements are paid, after putting their life on the line for 35 years!
“So, those in the service are watching, when you see their senior officers retiring into poverty, you will want to take care of yourself. Go to any road block today, when they stop you, the next thing you will hear is oga we de o. It is literally soliciting for something and they don’t care if the Inspector-General of Police could be in the car.
“It is not their problem, it is the problem of survival. They are fathers, they have children, and they must eat. So, I pray that these four basic issues will be taken into consideration by the government. Unless you address these four issues or else, you have not started as far as security is concerned.”
On corruption, the former presidential candidate of the All Nigerian People Party (ANPP) said: “When you are talking of corruption, my idea is, yes, address the big one, it is not about the billions the governors, the ministers, president, the local government chairmen have allegedly stolen. Yes, you could address that, it could take you 10 years to fully recover them, so, when you are giving the people the impression that you are bringing in billions to run the government, I think it is over-simplification of issues.
“I agree you will bring this money, but when it comes, only God knows, but start the process, this is excellent, perfect. So, how do you address these lower-level corruption, and unless you address these ones because they are the ones which give protection to the upper ones.
