Buhari spoke about the ongoing political situation, his
thoughts about Obasanjo’s endorsement and how he’ll fight corruption and
Boko Haram if he becomes president.
Here’s a full transcript of the interview:
Amanpour: General, welcome to the programme.
Can I ask you first your reaction to the delay in this
election by six weeks and to what you just heard President Jonathan say
that they will make inroads into much more security within the next six
weeks?
Buhari: Well, my reaction is that of
disappointment, because the presentation made by INEC was that they were
ready to conduct the election on the date they fixed a year ago, and
for them to be forced virtually by the military that they cannot
guarantee the safety of their workers, they have to concede to the
demand of the military [for an] additional six weeks.
Now since those six weeks are within the constitutional
time allowed, this was why we came and asked our supporters to remain
calm and resolute and obey the laws.
Amanpour: Okay General, let me ask you
because you’re a former military general: You were ruling the country
briefly. Why is it that the Nigerian military today cannot take on Boko
Haram and have failed to combat that terrorist organisation?
Buhari: Well this has been made much more
clear when the National Assembly attempted to conduct a hearing after
the soldiers were giving interviews to foreign media about being sent to
the front without proper weapons. The National Assembly attempted to
conduct a hearing by getting the budgets approved by the National
Assembly over the last three years and inviting the service chiefs to
come and tell them [why the] weapons were not procured and sent to the
soldiers — and competent leadership. And that hearing was scuttled.
So in short, it’s the misapplication or misappropriation of
the resources provided by the government for weapons. That’s why the
Nigerian military was unable to defeat Boko Haram.
Amanpour: General, you today just got a
huge endorsement from a former ally of President Jonathan. That is the
former president Obasanjo. How do you react to that, I mean what would
that do for your campaign?
Buhari: Well it would certainly bring more
supporters to us and more confidence again to us from those who were
sitting on the fence, because General Obasanjo is highly respected and
as far as Nigerians [issues are] concerned, there’s no serious issue
that can be discussed without people seeking for his opinion and
listening to it.
Amanpour: Can I now ask you about yourself
because headlines around the world are portraying this election as a
choice between a failed president and a former dictator — and you’re the
former dictator according to these headlines.
You know, people say — and they remember — that you
expelled 700,00 migrants years ago thinking that would create jobs, that
you’ve banned political meetings and free speech, that you’ve detained
thousands of people, secret tribunals, executing people for crimes that
were not capital offences. Have you changed or is this what the Nigerian
people have to look forward to?
Buhari: Well all those things you
mentioned, with a degree of accuracy of actually what happened, was then
under a military administration, and when that military adminstration
came under my leadership, we — the military — suspended the part of the
constitution that we felt would be difficult for us to operate under
those circumstances. So I think I’m being judged harshly as an
individual that what happened during the military administration can be
extended under a multiparty democracy system.
Amanpour: Okay so now you say you’re a
democrat. What do you think you can do to combat Boko Haram and to
combat the galloping corruption in your country?
Buhari: Well, Boko Haram, we know how it
started. Certainly the Nigerian military that built our reputation
internationally for effectiveness, it’s a great embarrassment to them
and to the country that they haven’t been able to secure [Nigeria’s]
territory of an area of 14 local governments out of 774 local
governments.
I believed this problem will not be too difficult for [our]
APC government because we know the Nigerian military is competent. It’s
a question of making sure the money voted for equipment and training
[is] properly utilised.
Amanpour: About corruption, there’s so
many complaints from many people around your country about massive
corruption they say. Can you face up against them? Are you committed to
rooting out corruption?
Buhari: We have to, because there are
serious citizens of this country that say unless Nigeria kills
corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. And that’s best illustrated by
another hearing conducted by the National Assembly on pension fund,
electricity and then the corruption in the petroleum industry from where
the country derives over 90% in external revenue.
The National Assembly conducted a hearing here in Abuja and
in the six geopolitical zones of the country, then they took the
recommendation to the executive. And it’s been collecting dust for the
past 18 months.
This is what President Goodluck Jonathan said during his presidential media chat recently.
The presidential media chat has started.
It was opened by a brief speech by the president. Questioning have
swiftly moved into the postponed elections.
The president sought the understanding of the international community
over the postponed elections. He said the kind of scenarios where
elections are postponed for the sake of perpetuating power is not the
case in Nigeria.
The president is asked why he thinks the war against Boko Haram can be won in six weeks even though the war had raged for six years. The president said he has just acquired new weapons, and gotten support of neigbhouring countries to fight Boko Haram. He mentioned that Chad waited for African Union approval, which they recently got too. He also mentioned that the issue of security is beyond Boko Haram. The president said it runs into dangerous signals of youth restiveness.
Do you have confidence in Jega to conduct the 2015 elections? The president said he wished Jega was seated by his side to answer the question. One of the interviewers interjected that he (Jega) is watching. He blames his supporters for rumours about Jega's resignation. "I have not told anybody that I will remove Jega," he said. He explained that if there are obvious reasons to remove Jega, he would rely on "constitutional" provisions that gives him powers to sack whoever he appoints.
In the next four weeks Nigerians will see the difference in the security intervention in the North- Jonathan
On Jega: I wish Jega were here, I could have asked him to answer whether I have confidence in him Yes those who called for his sack may be close to me, but they express their own opinion. More than 80 per cent of those who sponsor messages on our behalf we don't even know them. People use the reschedule of election to misinform Nigerians.
I have never thought about removing INEC Chairman, though I have the constitutional power to do so
The level of misinformation, especially from young people is high
"Attempting to attack the president is treasonable offence.The president is protected by soldiers, not just the police. People get carried away and make some provocative statements."
"Those who pelted my convoy during my campaigns in the Northern part of the country were ignorant. If INEC conducts the election poorly, it will be on my head."
The next question is about hate speeches and political violence by both opposition and ruling party members. The president explained that "some people" get carried away by the political play and exude these violence. He blamed aides and associates of key political actors for the hate speeches and political violence. He did not categorically condemn the hate speeches or war threats or politically-motivated violence. "We will make sure things are done so that nobody goes to war," the president said when he pressed for categorical stance on the war threats by ex-millitants should he lose the elections. He argues journalists have responsibility to ensure the unity of the country.
The president is asked why he frequents churches for campaign but never visited mosques. He responded by saying he does not receive invitations from Muslims.
The president is asked if election would hold should the military fails to eliminate Boko Haram in six weeks. The presidents said the new dates are scrosanct and a new president would be sworn in by May 29. He argued that the goal is not to totally eliminate Boko Haram but to make adequate security arrangement for the election.
Questioning moves to the issue of the president's perceived weak support especially as it relates to the missing Chibok girls. "Just give us some times," he said, responding to questions seeking the state of the girls at the moment. The president is optimistic the girls would be rescued with the new military collaboration with neighbouring countries. "I believe the story would be different in a few weeks," the president said. "We would recover them alive." With regards to his weakened political base, the president said "in politics, there are only permanent interests."
The president is asked to clarify his previous comments that "stealing is not corruption" He said he made that statement quoting the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Dahiru Mustafa, who explained to him that his analysis of corruption cases in Nigeria showed that most of such cases were theft. He argued that referring to stealing as corruption minimizes the crime. "Ole (thief in Yoruba) should be called Ole and given that treatment," the prewsident said. "Let us communicated properly. The word corruption, we have abused it."
"It is not actually my quotation. I quoted the former Chief Justice," as he continues to defend his previous comments on corruption and stealing.
Chibok Girls: I belief the story of Chibok Girls will get better in the next few weeks, but don't quote me. We are working with our neighbours, we will comb the whole of that place Partying after abduction? It's unfortunate that people play politics with the issue of Chibok girls. It's not like that elsewhere. In other countries, political boundaries collapse in the face of terror attacks, not so in Nigeria.
The state of the N1 billion security loan and funds confiscated in South Africa. He said the government have not started disbursing the N1 billion loan. With regards to the .3 million arms money seized in South Africa, he said the money does not belong to Nigeria, technically. He added that the matter was in court.
We have convicted more corrupt people than ever. It is just that Nigerians are confused on what the difference is between stealing and corruption.
The president is asked where he bought arms for the coming onslaught on Boko Haram. He said they managed to get from other sources other than America.
The president is asked if he would hand over if he loses the next election. "If the elections are conducted and I lose, of course, another president would be sworn in," the president said. He argued that Nigeria is more important than any individual.
The president, still answering questions on security said Boko Haram is faceless and factionalized.
The president is asked what he will do differently if he wins. He said most of the problem he had in the past is related to perception and not concrete. He did not really say what he would do differently.
The president is asked to comment on his opponent for the 2015 general election. The preaident responded it was an unfair question. He however mentioned that he has recieved more criticism that Muhammadu Buhari on social media.
20.16
The president is asked if he has confidence in INEC as presidently constituted. He answered sayimg he appointed everyone at the management level of INEC.
20.18The president is asked if he has confidence in INEC as presidently constituted. He answered sayimg he appointed everyone at the management level of INEC.
In his closing remarks, the presaident assured Nigerians that elections would be conducted and a new president sworn in on May 29. He argued that it is better for INEC to conduct an election eberyone woukd be happy with.
I will like to ask who is more intelligent and more presidential to take the country out of the wood?
Comment please.
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