I am not corrupt, Buhari tells Nigerians at Ebonyi rally

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday stated that he was never convicted of corruption in all the positions he held in the country.

He promised Nigerians that he will continue to uphold the trust they repose in him if re-elected for a second term in office.

The President made the declaration at the Park Oruta Ngele Township Stadium in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, during the All Progressives Congress (APC), presidential campaign.

Buhari was former Head of State (1983-85), governor of the defunct Northeastern State (1975–1976) and chairman Petroleum Trust Fund (1994-95).

He said: “I can assure you that I, as the President, today have never been in a position of abusing trust. As a governor of the whole six northeastern states, as minister of petroleum for over three years and as a former head of state. I was arrested, detained and investigated but they never found anything against me.”

The President thanked Ebonyi people for turning out in their large numbers for the rally, saying that they demonstrated that they cannot be bought; he urged them to hold him by his words.

Buhari recalled that when he came for campaign in 2015, he promised three things: to tackle the security situation in the country that time in 17 local governments in the Northeast were under Boko Haram control but as at today, there is no local government under the control of the terrorists.

The President congratulated the military and other law- enforcement agencies dislodging the insurgents in the Northeast.

Recalling the menace of terrorists, he said: “They have resulted in indoctrinating young men and abducting young girls below the ages of 15, wrap them with explosives and send them to soft targets – churches, mosques, market places and motor parks. Even that is becoming rear now.”

Buhari also said that with a favourable weather, Nigeria had achieved food security and no longer imports rice, adding that the money saved from importation was now being used for infrastructural development.

He said: “We thank God that Nigeria prayed very hard and the three previous rainy seasons were good. The government realised it and asked the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Ministry of Agriculture to give soft loans and make fertiliser available to farmers at half the price it used to be.

“And every able-bodied person who does not feel too big to earn a living went back to the farm and nobody regretted it. We have now virtually achieved food security; we no longer import rice as we used to and the money we have saved are for infrastructure. We are doing the roads, the rails and we are doing the new standard gauge and we are improving on power.

“The last thing is about fighting corruption and bribery. Fighting corruption is a very difficult process, but we are doing our best by trying to reorganise the Nigeria police and the judiciary itself. Because, we appointed people that went into public office without their own houses, without even maybe good cars, but within three years they build houses in Abuja, opened accounts in Europe or America and we cannot touch them. But when we discover what they have, we take them to court and when we take them to the court, we hope they will be prosecuted and then we will punish them.”

Urging the people to vote for him to continue with the good work his administration had started, he said: “What this administration is doing and what it will continue to do, if you vote me is to make sure we realise the potential of our people and the resources God has given us to make life better for this country, for our future generations.”

Also speaking, the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, who received 25 leaders from other parties, who have resolved to work for the APC, accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar of working for foreign interest.

According to him, Atiku who wrote letters to United Kingdom (UK), Unites States (U.S.) and European Union (EU), was appealing to western sentiments angling to take over Nigeria’s economy.

“The right to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty is not negotiable,” the APC party chairman said.

Oshiomhole maintained that Atiku, referring to western interest, would only injure the local economy and pauperised the people, calling on the voters never to vote for him.

He described the forthcoming election as a class war between the elite and the poor, just as he insisted that Buhari’s policies including  TraderMoni  were pro-poor despite the complains of the likes of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.

He asserted that no external force can impose leaders on Nigeria.

The Ebonyi Council of Traditional Rulers had earlier endorsed the reelection of President Buhari and Governor Dave Umahi

Members of the council assured that Buhari will get the support of many voters in state during the February 16 presidential elections because the President has demonstrated that he is a father to all, irrespective of political affiliation.

The President also expressed satisfaction that the impact of federal projects was being felt in the state.

Chairman of Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Charles Mkpuma, who spoke for the 140-member council, said: “Buhari is loved by the people of the because of the robust relationship he has with governor Umahi despite the fact that they belong to different parties.”

It was at a meeting with the President at the Ebonyi State Government House in Abakaliki.

Mkpuma, who commended Buhari’s determination to tackle the security situation of the country especially in in his efforts in tackling terrorism and fight against corruption, said Buhari deserves their votes irrespective of political differences.

The monarch said the President has done well in the fight against Boko Haram and corruption.

He said: “We appreciate your dogged determination to maintain utmost security of the country especially your effort in eliminating Boko Haram and fight against corruption which has brought respect and integrity to the country among committee of nations.

“We believe that your robust relationship with our son the governor and your loved for him and the state will surely earn you votes in Ebonyi state irrespective of party differences.”

The monarchs later present 1000 tubers of yam and 1,000 bags of rice to the President.

Umahi had told the President during their short drive to the Government House that his administration was yet to get to 40 per cent of the funds it spent on federal projects in the state.

The President assured that the state will be reimbursed once the audit committee, headed by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, conclude its work.

He also told the monarchs that his administration’s decision to invest in agriculture was deliberate.

“But subsequently, we got drunk with oil money and abandoned what kept us intact. But we are going back to that (agriculture).”

Umahi said that irrespective of some perceptions, the Southeast have benefited from Federal Povernment projects.

According to him, the federal government’s agricultural programme have benefited the state immensely which has resulted in increase in rice production.

He said: “Southeast have fared very well in terms of distribution of projects. We have abundance of salt and we have found solution on how to develop our salt and we needed your help to do that and you gave your approval. The solid mineral development fund is also assisting us to develop our solid minerals.”