* Explains why he dumped APC
President Muhammadu Buhari should be ready for a probe on arms
purchase by his government if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
wins next year’s presidential election.
Atiku personally served notice of the probe yesterday while
featuring on BBC Hausa Service.
Although the former vice president hailed the Buhari
administration for checking the security challenge in the
Northeast, he expressed disappointment that the insurgency has
taken this long.
He wondered why the military has been unable to defeat the
terror sect, Boko Haram, after much expenditure on arms.
He also shed light on his exit from the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC).
“I want to be the president of Nigeria because I would be able
to do things I could not do as vice president,” Atiku said.
“I will investigate how the government was unable to defeat Boko
Haram for years. I will also investigate the procurement of arms
bought by this administration.
“Eight years after, Nigerian government is still fighting Boko
Haram whose members are not professionally trained.”
Atiku spoke against the background of the ongoing spat between
the Presidency and the National Assembly over Buhari’s payment of
$496million for the purchase of 12 Tucano military aircraft from
the United States of America before seeking the consent of the
National Assembly.
Both chambers of the National Assembly are up in arms against
Buhari on the matter, saying his action breached Sections 80 (1-4)
of the 1999 Constitution.
On anti-corruption figh, Atiku said his approach would be
different from Buhari’s who, according to him, is protecting some
of the people that should be prosecuted.
His words: “there are people who 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 anybody. When I was in power, none of my relatives or friends
was found wanting.”
He recalled the role he played in the establishment of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“I was the person that sourced for the takeoff funds for the
EFCC,” he said.
Asked about his purported ban by the US government from visiting
the country, Atiku 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 it.”
He said the ‘ban’ would not in any way affect his ambition to
rule Nigeria.
“It’s not by going to America that qualifies one to be a
president; it’s not in our Constitution,” he argued.
He said youths would be favoured by him if he becomes president
as 40 per cent of his ministers will be young Nigerians.
On why he dumped the APC, Atiku said: “”The APC started on a
wrong footing after President Buhari assumed office.
“After 2015 general election, I met the president. I told him
the activities of the party had been crippled and there was a need
for restructure.
“Also, the way the government was being run; I made my
suggestions but it seemed they were deemed not important to
them.
“I said to him, if things continue like this, I will quit but
Buhari ignored it.”
Atiku resigned from the APC last November to rejoin the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform he became vice president
in 1999.
* Explains why he dumped APC
President Muhammadu Buhari should be ready for a probe on arms
purchase by his government if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
wins next year’s presidential election.
Atiku personally served notice of the probe yesterday while
featuring on BBC Hausa Service.
Although the former vice president hailed the Buhari
administration for checking the security challenge in the
Northeast, he expressed disappointment that the insurgency has
taken this long.
He wondered why the military has been unable to defeat the
terror sect, Boko Haram, after much expenditure on arms.
He also shed light on his exit from the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC).
“I want to be the president of Nigeria because I would be able
to do things I could not do as vice president,” Atiku said.
“I will investigate how the government was unable to defeat Boko
Haram for years. I will also investigate the procurement of arms
bought by this administration.
“Eight years after, Nigerian government is still fighting Boko
Haram whose members are not professionally trained.”
Atiku spoke against the background of the ongoing spat between
the Presidency and the National Assembly over Buhari’s payment of
$496million for the purchase of 12 Tucano military aircraft from
the United States of America before seeking the consent of the
National Assembly.
Both chambers of the National Assembly are up in arms against
Buhari on the matter, saying his action breached Sections 80 (1-4)
of the 1999 Constitution.
On anti-corruption figh, Atiku said his approach would be
different from Buhari’s who, according to him, is protecting some
of the people that should be prosecuted.
His words: “there are people who 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 anybody. When I was in power, none of my relatives or friends
was found wanting.”
He recalled the role he played in the establishment of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“I was the person that sourced for the takeoff funds for the
EFCC,” he said.
Asked about his purported ban by the US government from visiting
the country, Atiku 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 it.”
He said the ‘ban’ would not in any way affect his ambition to
rule Nigeria.
“It’s not by going to America that qualifies one to be a
president; it’s not in our Constitution,” he argued.
He said youths would be favoured by him if he becomes president
as 40 per cent of his ministers will be young Nigerians.
On why he dumped the APC, Atiku said: “”The APC started on a
wrong footing after President Buhari assumed office.
“After 2015 general election, I met the president. I told him
the activities of the party had been crippled and there was a need
for restructure.
“Also, the way the government was being run; I made my
suggestions but it seemed they were deemed not important to
them.
“I said to him, if things continue like this, I will quit but
Buhari ignored it.”
Atiku resigned from the APC last November to rejoin the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform he became vice president
in 1999.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/ill-probe-buharis-arms-expenditure-atiku/