BUHARI: A SAINT AND HIS BAND OF DEMONS

Source: thewillnigeria.com

The news of General Muhammadu Buhari's emergence as presidential flag bearer of the leading opposition party in the nation, the All Progressives Congress (APC) sent reverberations across the political landscape in the country.

General Buhari with his undying quest to clinch the top job after series of futile attempt is again angling for a return to power for a second time as leader of Nigeria and the first time as a civilian president, has become the trending issue in several political discourse.

Buhari to many represents the epitome of anti-corruption, discipline, integrity and performance. He is considered the hope of the future incorruptible breed of Nigeria; the bastion for good governance and the symbol of a progressive Nigeria.

This faith and belief is predicated on his antecedents as military president in his first showing as president when he imprisoned hundreds of well-meaning Nigerians under the guise of corruption; he championed the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) campaign which under his draconian rule also locked up many.

However what his hirelings and propagandists who have properly propped the old soldier to national appeal could not do was to remove the fact that 'Mr. Perfect' still has oil stains on his white agbada. His PR agents are oblivious of certain issues that white-wash propaganda cannot erase; they have negated the fact that Nigerians have very critical minds.

Buhari, a man widely acclaimed by his supporters to be Nigerian champion of anti-corruption has been uncovered as a make-belief crusader, who has succeeded to hoodwink the Nigerian masses into living in his not so beautiful utopia of Nigeria in the early 80s. It has already been revealed that this facade of uprightness an incorruptibility is a pawn in his larger game of chess to make up for his inability to amass wealth in his time as military head of state just like his co-travellers, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who led the pack of ex-president's longing to lay their hands on the national treasury.

Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has been identified as a political prostitute and turn-coat politician who has jumped from one political party to the other – firstly the Peoples Democratic Party, then to the Action Congress of Nigeria and then to CPC and now the All Progressives Congresses (APC). Atiku today is considered a stupendously wealthy Nigerian who used his position as Vice President to amass wealth through corrupt activities during Obasanjo's administration. However, during his years in service as customs officer, he was caught smuggling millions at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, and later left the service unscathed owing to shenanigans by the Northern Emirate. Same Atiku, holds the highest record ever of theft of public treasury, while serving as vice president of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007, with a trail of unsolved corruption allegations ranging from the Siemens to the harliburton scandals.

Only recently the details of the report of the US Committee on Homeland Security indicted Abubakar as being responsible for the laundering of over $40 million (about N6 billion) were released, this corruption czar has remained an APC financial pillar.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Enter the grand general of corruption and mayor of the entire South-West, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who has pocketed the whole of South Western Nigeria. Known for his personal and crude culture of politicking, Tinubu is widely acknowledged as a corrupt and sneaky politician who cannot be trusted judging by his ability to deploy his illicit wealth to manipulate and cause tension in the polity. Tinubu who has annexed the whole of the North West to become his empire and personal fiefdom is Buhari's right hand man. Needless to add, same Tinubu was indicted for cocaine, heroin and gun crimes which cost him $460,000.00 in the early 1990's.

As governor, the Asiwaju perfected the art of siphoning local government accounts for personal gains and allocating juicy contracts to cronies and proxies in a bid to maintain his firm grip on the state coffers. There are several unsettled cases of financial graft and abuse of office dangling over Tinubu's neck. Sadly, are these the crop of self-serving cult of individuals clamoring to lead the country to greatness? Nigerians will not be subjected to any form terror by this set of characters masquerading as saints; we shall reject in totality these political jobbers who are only after the expansion of the business empires.

Gov Rotimi Amaechi
Governor Rotimi Amaechi has been on the defensive over the years owing to his tyrannical political posture. The governor who has acquired sea of enemies from all political divide, principally among is President Jonathan. Amaechi has deployed all available state resources to finance his political aspirations and has rendered Rivers State a beggarly empire.

There are myriads of unsolved corruption cases against the governor; the Bombardier plane and the famous allegations of illegal acquisition of Reliance Bank Building (N400 million), Fleet House (N650 million) all on Olusegun Obasanjo Road, Port Harcourt and other choice buildings in the highbrow Old GRA of Port Harcourt. Also inclusive is his official Guest House while serving as speaker.

The phantom mono-rail project in Rivers State only exists as a mirage which has no corresponding semblance with reality on ground. Further plunging the Rivers State into debt and penury, Amaechi donated a whopping N17 billion naira to finance the APC campaign. Are these not glaring cases of wanton abuse of public office? Nigerian's will be work to frustrate the activities of these cohorts.

Gov Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano)
Early this year, there where brickbats between President Goodluck Jonathan and the Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso whom Jonathan described as a fraudster for embezzling allowances meant for party delegates during the 2010 PDP Presidential primaries. Kwankwaso a rabble-rouser has not failed to expose his lack of commitment towards the development of the Nigerian State, but would rather chose the path of fanning the embers of violence by churning out inciting statements at President Goodluck Jonathan and his government, describing it as inept, clueless and incompetent. Perhaps suffering from diarrhea of the mouth or maybe blinded by his inordinate ambition to rule Nigeria by hook or crook, the governor has done little or nothing to deepen unity among Nigerians towards peaceful co-existence and harmony.

It instructive to send a clear signal to Nigerians to be wary of the antics of these self-serving political jobbers. Nigerians should reject this band of demonic fraternity called the All Progressives Congress in totally come 2015, this collection of Nigerians who hid under the cloak of good governance, justice and equality do not mean well for the Nigeria masses, they are a bunch of tired and drowning clique aiming only to further lead the nation into economic retrogression and poverty. They should be rejected and made to face the law owing to corruption cases against them.

Governor Rochas Owelle Okorocha (Imo)
Since May 29th, 2011, Imo State and her people have been witnessing ' Abracadabra' in government of Governor Rochas Okorocha, where lawlessness, insecurity, kidnapping , negative and half hazard polices, deceit, showmanship, lies and falsification, lack of procedure and total neglect to lay down procedures and heavy debt burden to the incoming administration has characterized the government.

There are gross allegations of corruption and highhandedness against the acclaimed people's Governor, Rochas Okorocha by concerned Imo State indigenes, asking plethora of questions hinging on the abuse of office where huge funds allocated monthly to the 27 local Government areas in Imo State, and received for disbursement by Imo State Government since May 2011 till Date that is well above N180 Billion has been misappropriated and nothing has been done with the funds.

There is no gainsaying that Governor Okorocha who never prepared for governance has ended up destroying Imo State and its economy with his clueless and inept administration. Today Imo as a state is presently run as an offshoot of Rochas Foundation with his siblings and in-laws visibly milking the state dry with impunity. In Imo one man has sold 80% of Imo state resources including choice lands to himself while 99% of Imolites wallow in abject and extreme poverty.

We are repeatedly being told that Nigeria is practicing “democracy”. But what type of democracy is in Imo State in which governor Okorocha refuse to organize elections into local governments since 2011? Instead, he has, in contravention of the constitution and the democratic rights of the electorate, appointed his cronies into “caretaker committees” and they are running and looting our local council funds with impunity. What a brazen rape on our democratic rights.

Former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva
There are myriad of corruption cases hanging over former governor Timipre Sylva, a staunch APC stalwart, who during his administration engage in various corrupt and money laundering activities. This APC Chieftain has been in court severally of which cases are still pending bordering on allegations of converting huge monies belonging to the State ranging from N380,000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Eighty Million Naira), N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira), N50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira), respectively throw proxies.

Timipre Sylva, induced Union Bank, Plc, with the intent to defraud, to grant an overdraft facility of the sum of N2,000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira) to the Bayelsa State Government under the false pretence of using the amount to augment salaries of the Bayelsa State Government.

Interestingly, Nigerians keep records of events happening in the polity, and Sylva's graft case is pointer to the makeup of the APC party who are desirous of ruling the country. Nigerians are saying NO to corrupt government officials who have nothing meaningful to offer than to further plunder the country's resources.

Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (Former FCT Minister)
Mallam Nasir E-Rufai was former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory who ran the ministry like a shylock landlord. The former minister used his office to render many Abuja residents homeless, by demolishing house and re-allocating plots to cronies and friends as a way of political patronage.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission instituted a case against the Minister during his administration bordering on conspiracy, fraud and gross abuse of public office. El-Rufai who is currently a chieftain of the opposition All Progressive Congress Party, APC, connived with the former Director General of the Abuja Geographical Information Systems, AGIS, Mrs. Altine Jubril and the former General Manager of the establishment, Ismaila Iro, and fraudulently allocated several plots of land to his wives, relatives and between 1999 to 2007.

Recently, the former Minister boldly declared that if elected as governor of Kaduna State, he will repeat a similar demolition policy in the State. And we ask; is he truly for or against the masses? Obviously, el-Rufai means no well for the army of Nigerian's who are suffering from housing deficit. This is a clear case that the APC has nothing to offer Nigerians than to increase the suffering of the poor masses.

Former Governor Danjuma Goje (Gombe State)
Former Governor Danjuma Goje of Gombe is currently a senator of the Federal Republic, who has spent two terms (a total of eight years) as the governor of Gombe state. He is among many States governors characteristically known to divert State resources, security votes for personal gains.

The Former Governor has severally been guest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for investigation in a large scale looting of state resources.

EFCC sources declaring Goje wanted had issued a warrant of arrest over massive conversion of state fund into personal pockets. More than 70 billion naira ($450 million) in public funds, especially a huge chunk of Sate security votes was allegedly diverted to personal coffers. Sources said more revelations are being compiled about Goje's financial mismanagement of State funds during his tenure as Gombe state governor.

The question begging for answers now is, are these the kind of people that Nigerians can trust to lead and direct the country on the path of sustainable economic growth and development? Hell No – we reject them!!

Abdulmalik Suleiman is community development agent and advocate on national issues.

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