A former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has said he will probe the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari over the war against Boko Haram, especially procurement of arms, if he is elected Nigeria’s president in the 2019 general elections.
The former Vice President, while speaking on BBC Hausa Good Morning Program on Saturday, also said the inability of President Muhammadu Buhari to control issues in the All Progressives Congress (APC) was the reason for the rift.
He said; “Eight years after, Nigerian government is still fighting Boko Haram that are not professionally trained. If elected Nigeria’s president, I will investigate how the government was unable to defeat Boko Haram for years, also I will investigate the procurement of arms bought by this administration.
“After 2015 general election, I met the president. I told him the activities of the party have been crippled and there is a need for restructure. Also I advised the president on issues concerning his administration. I said to him, if things continued like this, I will quit, but Mr Buhari turned deaf ears and remained mum.
“If Nigerians can recall, we initiated the Economic and Financial (Crimes) Commission (EFCC). I’m the person that sourced for the take off funds for the EFCC.
“In this administration (Buhari’s), there are people that are untouchable, they are doing things that are not in order but they are being shielded by the government. If elected Nigeria’s president, my administration will not spare any personality. When I was in (at) the helm (of affairs), none of my relatives or friends were found wanting.
He also said 40 percent of his cabinet will be youth if elected president.
On the feud between the Nigerian government and Intel’s Nigeria Limited, in which he has a stake, Mr Atiku said he was not part of Intel’s management, so cannot be bothered.
“When they (Intels) got the contract, they signed an agreement with the government that the money (profit) should be shared into three. One part of the money will be given to Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), another part is meant to service bank loans, while the remaining is for Intels. But when this administration came, they said all the money must be deposited in the Single Treasury Account (Treasury Single Account). That was where the issues began.”
On the allegation that he has been banned from entering the United States, he said: “I requested for visa, they said it is under administrative process. I’m not desperate to travel to America, I don’t have any investment there. The house I bought for my wife years back, she sold the house, I don’t have anything to do in America. It’s my tradition, I buy houses for my wives, but for me, I don’t need a house.”
When asked whether the ‘ban’ will affect his chances of becoming Nigeria’s president, Mr Abubakar said: “It’s not by going to America that qualifies one to be a president, it’s not in our Constitution.”