Secretary
to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, has
expressed disappointment with Nigerians wishing President Muhammadu
Buhari dead, saying the president will
outlive all of them.
Speaking yesterday, while addressing
pro-Buhari protesters, from Citizens Support for Good Governance in
Nigeria, at Unity Fountain, Abuja, Lawal argued that with the solid
foundation the current administration had laid, Nigeria would never
return to the pro-2015 era, especially by the time President Buhari
finishes his second tenure in office.
While reassuring Nigerians that the
economy would be buoyant as from next year, the SGF lamented that those
who crumbled the country were the ones accusing government of going at a
slow speed.
He said: “I’m
here to thank you for the support you have rendered this government. As
a government, we are encouraged by your support. It is this type of
support that encourages the president to do more. We want to assure you
that this government is on top of the situation.
“As much as we understand the challenges
we are facing, there is no cure without medicine. It is for no reason
that quinine is very bitter, but after you have taken it, you get well.
“Baba Buhari didn’t anticipate the
problem we are in. I’m sure you are all aware. The people who caused
this problem are the ones challenging the government. I tell you that
they will fail, in the name of God. In fact, they have failed.
“You are aware of the economy the
president inherited, the economy in which revenue has virtually
collapsed. The infrastructure was nowhere to be seen. The roads were
dilapidated. The schools were dilapidated. The hospitals were abandoned.
The people who caused it are not worried. Shamelessly, they accused the
president of not performing. And, in fact, some of them wished him
dead. But I can assure you that, by the grace of God, he will outlive
all of them.
“I assure you that by the grace of God,
in the next one year, Nigeria will have a booming economy. We know what
they are doing to sabotage the activities of government to bring Nigeria
back to economic prosperity. They will fail. Nigeria will never go back
to the position it was before 2015. The foundation being laid by the
government is solid. And nobody, even after the president has finished
his eight years, can ever take us back to the pre-2015 days.”
Lawal said President Buhari was aware of
suffering Nigerians are going through, adding: “It pains him. But the
pains have to be borne this way for prosperity and goodness to return to
our country. Once more, I want to thank you for the support you have
shown this government. It is this type of support that encourages the
government to work round the clock.”
Meanwhile, convener of Truth and Justice
Movement of Nigeria, Johnson Ondoma, said the essence of the rally was
to show that Buhari had been doing his best.
“The rally is important because, as
commoners, we express ourselves through public actions and not
politicians and contractors, who prefer to discuss governance in the
State House and lobbies of hotels,” he said.
Ondoma said despite repeated attempt to
portray the Buhari administration as non-performing, Nigerians know that
in the last two years, Buhari has done “far better” than his
predecessor, in areas of anti-corruption, infrastructure and security.
“Those who are sincere will acknowledge
the investment in infrastructure. Unlike in the past when the money for
road contracts were usually shared and made to circulate round, the
funds released are now actually going into getting the jobs done. If
people are not getting slush funds passed down to them it means they
have to review their personal economic activities within the reality of
an anti-corruption era.”
In a related development, the Federal
Government yesterday admitted that its war against corruption is facing
serious threat from wealthy Nigerians, who are fighting government to
submission.
According to Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior
Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity,
while addressing pro-Buhari protesters in Abuja yesterday, the war
against corruption has many powerful enemies, which needs a collective
effort to subdue.
Shehu said: “The war against corruption
has enemies, very powerful enemies, enemies who have resources, the kind
of money that even the government doesn’t have. So, we need a popular
support like your own, otherwise the war against corruption will be
defeated.”
The presidential spokesman apologised to
the group for the initial disruption of the protest by the security
agents at the main gate of the Presidential Villa, noting: “There was a
communication gap at the Villa gate because the police there did not
know who was coming and I hope we will learn from this.”
Convener of the group, Comrade Moses
Abdullahi, said though the country was passing through a difficult
phase, as a result of bad governance since the return to democracy in
1999, it is not a creation of the present government.
“Nigeria is going through a difficult
phase, a phase not of the making of this administration, but rather a
consequence of decades of bad governance, decay and maladministration by
a few under a banner now synonymous with corruption. Nigeria can only
change when we support the government and do our bit and not allow
ourselves to be used as agents of destruction and political thuggery,” he said.
Source:The sun.
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