President Muhammadu Buhari
• Orders audit of CBN, FIRS, Customs, others, ministers’ names to be sent in tranches
• Asks Nigerians to thank Jonathan for peaceful handover
By Tobi Soniyi in Abuja and Obinna Chima in Lagos
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for a radical “change” in national orientation, saying this could only be accomplished if Nigerians change by “being law-abiding citizens”.
In his Independence Day broadcast read this morning on national television, the president also revealed that he had ordered for a complete audit of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), among other revenue-generating agencies of government, for improved service delivery and better management of the country’s resources.
He equally confirmed that the first list of ministerial nominees was sent to the Senate president Wednesday, adding that “subsequent lists will be sent in due course”.
Buhari, in the broadcast, reminded Nigerians that Independence Day is a day for joy and celebrations “irrespective of the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago, we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness”.
“No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honouring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet. We have in addition: arable land, water, forests, oil and gas, a coastline, and solid minerals,” he said.
The president noted that Nigeria has all the attributes of a great nation, but acknowledged it had not attained its full potential “because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose”.
Unity, he said, would have enabled Nigeria to achieve not only a more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress.
“Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of purpose.
“Nonetheless, that we have remained together is an achievement we should all appreciate and try to consolidate. We have witnessed this year a change in our democratic development.
“The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system.
“Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Goodluck Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences,” he said.
Buhari recalled that in his inaugural speech, he informed the nation that he bore no ill will against anyone on past events, adding: “Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.”
Speaking on the problems inherited by his administration, Buhari acknowledged that what Nigerians want are quick solutions, stating: “As you know, I toured neighbouring countries, marshalled a coalition of armed forces of the five nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram. I met also the G7 leaders and other friendly presidents in an effort to build an international coalition against Boko Haram.
“Our gallant armed forces under new leadership have taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run.
“That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as IDP camps is indicative of their cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places.”
On power, the president said government officials have held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost effective way.
“In the meantime, improvement in the power supply is moderately encouraging. By the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country.
“All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better,” he said.
The president added that preliminary steps had also been taken to sanitise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in order to improve its operations so that inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum.
On the corporation’s refineries, he said those that could be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations “so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped”.
However, he stopped short of stating what would be done with plants that cannot be brought back on stream.
“In addition to NNPC, I have ordered for a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation.
“Prudent housekeeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely.
“But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources that is important.
“We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing,” he said.
On the bailout provided to the states of the federation, the president recalled that at an early stage the federal government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, “a situation capable of degenerating into social unrest”.
He said the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government stepped in to provide short-term support to the states that owed workers’ salaries and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the livelihood of millions of Nigerians.
On the constitution of his cabinet, the president noted that despite anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in the announcement of ministers, said there was no cause for the anxiety
He explained: “Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over.
“Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its report on the reorganisation of federal government structures after studying the hand over notes.
“It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalised the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.
“Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the Senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course.
“Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for CHANGE is all about.”
While harping on his administration’s agenda for “change”, Buhari said: “Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring about change.
“We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behaviour in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.”
The president’s broadcast came just as he personally opened up for the first time on the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki for false declaration of assets in 2003.
Speaking in an interview with SaharaTV before he departed New York where he attended the United Nations General Assembly, Buhari said his confidence in Saraki would depend on the outcome of the latter’s trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
When asked about how confident he was in the Senate president following the vote of confidence passed on Saraki by 83 senators on Tuesday, Buhari said: “That will depend on the outcome at the court.”
He however revealed that the matter would not stop him from communicating with the Senate president.
“I write him (Saraki). There are some appointments, which the Senate has to approve. I can’t remember how many letters I have personally written to him because these things are constitutional.
“There are people I want to work with and I cannot work with them, unless the National Assembly approves. So, I have been writing the Senate president and the leader of the House. This is constitutional,” Buhari said.
He however reiterated that he would not interfere in the judicial process.
“What has the president got to do with that? The case is in court. Do Nigerians expect me to tell the Chief Justice (of Nigeria) or whichever court not to try the Senate president?
“Do Nigerians know about the constitution of their country – the judiciary, the legislature and the executive have got their own roles in the constitution. So how do they expect me to interfere? I can be successfully impeached if I do so,” he said.
Buhari said it was too early to disclose names of those who allegedly looted the country’s treasury, adding however that his government had gone far with the probe and maintained that those found guilty would be prosecuted.
“What we are doing presently is that we are collecting documents. For example, every ship that is loading Nigeria’s crude from the oil terminal, is supposed to record how much it has taken and on behalf of who it is lifting – whether it belongs to the NNPC, or our partners like Shell, Chevron, Mobil and so on and where it is being lifted to.
“Part of the document is also expected to show where the crude is going and which account the money is paid into. Now we have gone quite far and a number of countries are cooperating with us on that and we are trying to get more facts.
“Before, people would take petroleum from our terminals, get to the middle of the sea, change direction and when it is sold, the money is paid into an individual’s account.
“Now we want those documents in our hands so that we can successfully prosecute those that have been stealing Nigeria’s crude. So we can’t mention details because it may compromise the legal processes.
“But definitely, it involves a lot of work and then the process of prosecution would start,” he said.
When informed that it appeared that his government was paying too much attention to the anti-corruption crusade and probes at the expense of economic growth, Buhari said: “It took the previous government about 10 years to destroy the Nigerian economy. It is much easier to destroy than to build.
“I don’t think Nigerians expect us to within four months turn things around. Unfortunately for us, coming at a time the price of crude oil has gone down. For Nigeria, that is a major setback because we are a mono-economy. We depend so much on petroleum.
“However, we are building a new NNPC. We have convinced any serious observer that we are very serious about corruption and in organising the economy and other institutions in the country.”
President Muhammadu Buhari
• Orders audit of CBN, FIRS, Customs, others, ministers’ names to be sent in tranches
• Asks Nigerians to thank Jonathan for peaceful handover
• Orders audit of CBN, FIRS, Customs, others, ministers’ names to be sent in tranches
• Asks Nigerians to thank Jonathan for peaceful handover
By Tobi Soniyi in Abuja and Obinna Chima in Lagos
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for a radical “change” in national orientation, saying this could only be accomplished if Nigerians change by “being law-abiding citizens”.
In his Independence Day broadcast read this morning on national television, the president also revealed that he had ordered for a complete audit of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), among other revenue-generating agencies of government, for improved service delivery and better management of the country’s resources.
He equally confirmed that the first list of ministerial nominees was sent to the Senate president Wednesday, adding that “subsequent lists will be sent in due course”.
Buhari, in the broadcast, reminded Nigerians that Independence Day is a day for joy and celebrations “irrespective of the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago, we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness”.
“No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honouring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet. We have in addition: arable land, water, forests, oil and gas, a coastline, and solid minerals,” he said.
The president noted that Nigeria has all the attributes of a great nation, but acknowledged it had not attained its full potential “because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose”.
Unity, he said, would have enabled Nigeria to achieve not only a more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress.
“Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of purpose.
“Nonetheless, that we have remained together is an achievement we should all appreciate and try to consolidate. We have witnessed this year a change in our democratic development.
“The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system.
“Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Goodluck Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences,” he said.
Buhari recalled that in his inaugural speech, he informed the nation that he bore no ill will against anyone on past events, adding: “Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.”
Speaking on the problems inherited by his administration, Buhari acknowledged that what Nigerians want are quick solutions, stating: “As you know, I toured neighbouring countries, marshalled a coalition of armed forces of the five nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram. I met also the G7 leaders and other friendly presidents in an effort to build an international coalition against Boko Haram.
“Our gallant armed forces under new leadership have taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run.
“That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as IDP camps is indicative of their cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places.”
On power, the president said government officials have held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost effective way.
“In the meantime, improvement in the power supply is moderately encouraging. By the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country.
“All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better,” he said.
The president added that preliminary steps had also been taken to sanitise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in order to improve its operations so that inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum.
On the corporation’s refineries, he said those that could be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations “so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped”.
However, he stopped short of stating what would be done with plants that cannot be brought back on stream.
“In addition to NNPC, I have ordered for a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation.
“Prudent housekeeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely.
“But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources that is important.
“We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing,” he said.
On the bailout provided to the states of the federation, the president recalled that at an early stage the federal government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, “a situation capable of degenerating into social unrest”.
He said the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government stepped in to provide short-term support to the states that owed workers’ salaries and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the livelihood of millions of Nigerians.
On the constitution of his cabinet, the president noted that despite anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in the announcement of ministers, said there was no cause for the anxiety
On the constitution of his cabinet, the president noted that despite anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in the announcement of ministers, said there was no cause for the anxiety
He explained: “Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over.
“Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its report on the reorganisation of federal government structures after studying the hand over notes.
“It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalised the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.
“Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the Senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course.
“Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for CHANGE is all about.”
While harping on his administration’s agenda for “change”, Buhari said: “Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring about change.
“We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behaviour in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.”
The president’s broadcast came just as he personally opened up for the first time on the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki for false declaration of assets in 2003.
Speaking in an interview with SaharaTV before he departed New York where he attended the United Nations General Assembly, Buhari said his confidence in Saraki would depend on the outcome of the latter’s trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
When asked about how confident he was in the Senate president following the vote of confidence passed on Saraki by 83 senators on Tuesday, Buhari said: “That will depend on the outcome at the court.”
He however revealed that the matter would not stop him from communicating with the Senate president.
“I write him (Saraki). There are some appointments, which the Senate has to approve. I can’t remember how many letters I have personally written to him because these things are constitutional.
“There are people I want to work with and I cannot work with them, unless the National Assembly approves. So, I have been writing the Senate president and the leader of the House. This is constitutional,” Buhari said.
He however reiterated that he would not interfere in the judicial process.
“What has the president got to do with that? The case is in court. Do Nigerians expect me to tell the Chief Justice (of Nigeria) or whichever court not to try the Senate president?
“Do Nigerians know about the constitution of their country – the judiciary, the legislature and the executive have got their own roles in the constitution. So how do they expect me to interfere? I can be successfully impeached if I do so,” he said.
Buhari said it was too early to disclose names of those who allegedly looted the country’s treasury, adding however that his government had gone far with the probe and maintained that those found guilty would be prosecuted.
“What we are doing presently is that we are collecting documents. For example, every ship that is loading Nigeria’s crude from the oil terminal, is supposed to record how much it has taken and on behalf of who it is lifting – whether it belongs to the NNPC, or our partners like Shell, Chevron, Mobil and so on and where it is being lifted to.
“Part of the document is also expected to show where the crude is going and which account the money is paid into. Now we have gone quite far and a number of countries are cooperating with us on that and we are trying to get more facts.
“Before, people would take petroleum from our terminals, get to the middle of the sea, change direction and when it is sold, the money is paid into an individual’s account.
“Now we want those documents in our hands so that we can successfully prosecute those that have been stealing Nigeria’s crude. So we can’t mention details because it may compromise the legal processes.
“But definitely, it involves a lot of work and then the process of prosecution would start,” he said.
When informed that it appeared that his government was paying too much attention to the anti-corruption crusade and probes at the expense of economic growth, Buhari said: “It took the previous government about 10 years to destroy the Nigerian economy. It is much easier to destroy than to build.
“I don’t think Nigerians expect us to within four months turn things around. Unfortunately for us, coming at a time the price of crude oil has gone down. For Nigeria, that is a major setback because we are a mono-economy. We depend so much on petroleum.
“However, we are building a new NNPC. We have convinced any serious observer that we are very serious about corruption and in organising the economy and other institutions in the country.”
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