Stop Distracting Buhari, Presidency Tells Ex-Jonathan Ministers

Source: thewillnigeria.com

BEVERLY HILLS, August 31, (THEWILL) – The Presidency has asked those it described as the country’s latest trade union formation, the Association of Ex-Jonathan Ministers, to do a bit of self-reflection on the sort of government they handed to President Muhammadu Buhari back in May .

It also asked them to determine for themselves if it would have been right for any incoming government, not just this one, to ignore the issue of the brazen theft of public assets, perhaps the first of its kind Nigerians have ever seen.

The Presidency said it is emphatic on the earlier statements made in this regard that there is no witch hunt or malice against anyone in the pursuit of the county’s stolen assets.

“This war against corruption knows no friend nor foe. There is no intention to deny anyone of their good name where they are entitled to it and that President Buhari reserves the highest regards for the country’s former leaders including Dr. Jonathan Goodluck who he continues to praise to the high heavens for the way and manner in which he accepted defeat in the last election,” senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said.

“This singular action remains a feat that has earned the former president and Nigeria as country befitting commendations all over the world, the latest coming from Mr Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations who visited a week ago.

“For the purpose of emphasis, issue of fighting corruption by President Buhari is non negotiable. It is sine qua non to the overall reconstruction of the economy and social systems which suffered destruction and severe denigration under the last administration.”

“President Buhari will not be deterred or blackmailed into retreat and surrender.”

No one in the PDP can accuse President Buhari of undermining the economy when all they handed over to him is at best, a tottering economy hobbled by corruption and the absence of due process.

“All he has been doing while around is to put things together, organizing to defeat Boko Haram, paying outstanding salaries, cleaning up the mess left behind, improving security and restoring our relationships with neighbours and the world.”

Asking what the former ministers are afraid of in these things, wondering whether they have become a new trade union, the Presidency advised the collection of ex-VIPs to allow the President the peace he needs to handle the reconstruction of the economy and the nation in a manner that most serves Nigeria’s best interests.

“President Buhari does not need these types of distraction presented by the so-called association of former ministers,” Shehu said.