President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, maintained that the duty of his administration was to imprison those who had looted the nation’s treasury.
He said it was his government’s responsibility to send to jail those who had corruptly enriched themselves by dipping their hands into the country’s commonwealth.
The President said this in Lagos at the presidential rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he promised that if re-elected, he would continue to focus on the promises he made in 2015.
The President vowed to prosecute those who had yet to return Nigeria’s stolen funds before sending them to prison.
Buhari said, “I assure you that the promises we made in 2015, based on which you elected us, we’ve made tremendous progress and I have mentioned through others what the administration is doing on security, economy and fighting corruption.
“I assure you, whoever is entrusted (with public property), his primary responsibility is to account for it.
“If the proper thing is not done, we will eventually get hold of them; take away what they have stolen and get them imprisoned.
“This is our duty; this is our responsibility and I assure you we will continue to do it.”
Buhari said he looked forward to the people’s support to be re-elected.
Obasanjo, greatest election rigger in Nigeria –Tinubu
Meanwhile, before Buhari’s speech, who is the presidential candidate of the APC, the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the greatest election rigger in Nigeria.
Also, the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, said unlike the Peoples Democratic Party, the APC had never used federal might to rig elections in the country.
Speaking at the venue of the presidential campaign rally, which held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, Tinubu said Obasanjo should be relegated to the dustbin.
He said he drew his position from a reported statement credited to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, who stated in 2007 that the election that brought him into power was flawed. The 2007 election was conducted during the administration of Obasanjo.
A mammoth crowd of party supporters waited for over six hours under the Lagos scorching sun for Buhari and his entourage.
Dignitaries at the rally were Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Oshiomhole, regional vice chairmen across the country, host Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; governors of Ogun (Ibikunle Amosun); Ekiti (Kayode Fayemi); Ondo (Rotimi Akeredolu); Edo (Godwin Obaseki); Osun (Gboyega Oyetola); Oyo (Abiola Ajimobi), and Kebbi (Abubakar Bagudu )
Others included the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; his colleague in the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; a former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola; a former Interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande; and a host of others.
Tinubu said during the administration of Obasanjo and his then deputy, Atiku Abubakar, major companies moved away from the country, adding that the PDP’s move to return to power was to continue the sale of the country from where the party stopped.
The former Lagos State governor said, “Who sent Michelin, Dunlop, Siemens (packing) out of the country? It was the PDP government. They want to come back to take our money to Europe and America. For the foreign observers, you are truly welcome. Observe what you want to observe; write your report in peace and go home. This is our democracy. America is still questioning its own democracy.
“In 2007, the late President Yar’Adua said the election that brought him as president in this country was flawed and he promised to reform it. Who conducted that election? Obasanjo is the greatest election rigger in this country. Let him be put in the dustbin.”
Prior to Buhari’s message, Fashola listed the ongoing construction of roads, such as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway; and the 3,050 Megawatts Mambilla Power Plant, among others in different parts of the country as the achievements of the present administration.
Fashola, who initially addressed the supporters in Yoruba, but later translated an abridged version of what he said to the President, urged the electorate to re-elect Buhari to complete the work he had started.
“I have delivered your message and the message of your government and our party to them. I told them that the ‘Next Level’ means jobs, from Mambilla, to the road projects, to the factories, roads from Apapa all the way to Oworonshoki,” added Fashola, the immediate past Lagos State governor.
The state party chairman, Tunde Balogun, said Buhari had fulfilled more than he promised when he was seeking election in 2015.
Oshiomhole, who handed over the party’s flags to the APC governorship candidate in Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his running mate, Obafemi Hamzat; as well as other candidates, said Atiku should not be trusted because he did not do anything that had made the masses to remember him after he left office.
The ex-Edo State governor stated, “If as vice-president he did nothing, why should we trust him? Look at our vice-president, Yemi Osinbajo; he can go to the market places and traders will come out to identify with him. Atiku only has a way of enriching himself and his friends when he is in government.
“Whereas Buhari is fighting corruption, Atiku has promised to grant amnesty to those who stole money. So, this is a fight between the masses and the rich and powerful. PDP supervised the liquidation of companies in the country when he was vice president and now, he is promising jobs. Is it possible?
“I urge you to vote for APC. We have no tradition of rigging elections. Those who have always used the federal might are in the PDP. February 16 will be like a Christmas Day for us; there will be no fighting.”
How many looters have jailed?
Why is Tinubu walking about a free man?