•Says he inherited no savings from PDP
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and Agaju Madugba, Katsina
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that he will ensure justice and fairness to all in his administration’s fight against corruption, adding that patriotic citizens have nothing to fear.
Buhari, who gave the assurance when he spoke to newsmen in his hometown, Daura in Katsina State, after attending the Eid prayers to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir, stressed that those who abuse public trust will face justice, in addition to returning stolen assets to the nation’s coffers.
The president thanked Nigerians for supporting Federal Government policies, programmes and actions aimed at improving security, revamping the economy and combating the fight against corruption.
“We should thank God this year, the reports I’m getting, which are very pleasing, is that we will have a bumper harvest this year.
“I want Nigerians to realise that what this government inherited after 16 years of the PDP government was no savings, no infrastructure, no power, no rail, no road and no security.
“Nigerians can see what we have done on Boko Haram and what we are doing to resolve the problem in the Niger Delta.
“Before the elections, we identified three major problems confronting our country. The first is security; we need to sufficiently secure our country to manage it well. “The second is economy, especially job for the youths and fighting corruption which is continuous…”
On the economic plans of his administration, the president disclosed a three-tier approach to newsmen
“For the youths, graduates and non-graduates who are interested in agriculture, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), under the Vice President (Prof. Yemi Osinbajo) are doing something to provide employment for them,” he said.
Amidst cheers from worshippers, Buhari partook in the symbolic ritual of slaughtering a ram, after the prayers. The president is expected to return to Abuja after the holidays, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said in a statement.
Buhari had, during his electoral campaign alleged that the 16 years of the PDP-led federal government was a disaster. He said from 1999, when PDP took over the helm of affairs, the country had witnessed the downward trend in all spheres of human endeavours.
Buhari stated that worst hit in the PDP failure was insecurity, economy, education, provision of employment for the teeming youths and the dearth of industries.
He added that the unemployment rate had driven Nigerian youths into forced labour in overseas countries, including smaller neighboring African nations.
He promised to improve agriculture, energy, education sector, security and infrastructure to give employment to the teeming unemployed youths in the country.