Presidency has replied former Vice President of Nigeria and one of the Presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar over is alleged statement saying President Muhammadu Buhari is very uncompromising on his fight against corruption and at the same time, a power-drunk.
The Presidency a few hours ago, released a statement condemning the claim, but agreed that President Buhari is uncompromising on fight against corruption, but disagreed with Atiku on the claim of President Buhari being power drunk.
In the statement as released by the Presidency, was titled: Atiku’s Allegations: Yes, President Buhari uncompromising against corruption; Power Drunk? NO!
The full statement reads:
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, was quoted by a foreign news medium as accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of being “very uncompromising, also power drunk; (and) who will not be ready to leave power without a fight.” Rather than use the name of President Buhari to buoy his bid to get the presidential ticket of a party, whose flag has been flying at half-mast since it got roundly trounced at the polls in 2015, the former Vice President needs be told that the President is truly uncompromising, but only when it comes to looting the common patrimony of Nigerians, and squandering their riches.
President Buhari is uncompromising in the quest to restore probity and accountability to public office. He is uncompromising in cleaning the rot Nigeria was consigned into pre-2015, thus the war against corruption is being fought without fear or favour. The President is equally resolute in the determination to ensure that Nigeria is no longer a mono-economy, depending only on oil.
Yes, President Buhari is single-minded in effecting change in every area of Nigerian life. So, Alhaji Abubakar is right, if that was what he meant by the President being “uncompromising.” But power drunk? No! And being a man “who will not be ready to leave power without a fight?” Never! Not President Buhari, who has demonstrated in many ways that he is a committed democrat, though also a retired military general. He has no apologies about that. Through a sterling military career, he served Nigeria with his heart and might, before venturing into partisan politics.
In many ways, President Buhari has wielded power with decency, and as a means of serving the people, rather than for personal ends. If there’s one person not intoxicated by power, it is President Buhari, and scores of millions of Nigerians know this. That is why they will invest him with power again next year, knowing that he won’t misuse or misapply what has been entrusted to him.
Former VP Abubakar may want to borrow a leaf from the decorous language employed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in answering his recent allegation.