Nigerian President, MuhammaduBuhari says his vision and objectives for Nigeria are very clear and he is on course to achieve them.
He restated this commitment while speaking when a received the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) led by its National President, Reverend (Dr.) Samson Ayokunle at the State House, Abuja on Friday.
During the meeting, Buhari stressed how he was doing his best to fulfill all his electioneering campaign promises of securing the country, fighting corruption andresuscitating the economy.
The President emphasized that fighting corruption takes longer time especially with the need to adhere to the rule of law. He added that it is on record some cases initiated by the anti-graft agencies since 2003 are yet to be concluded. And that, where monies have been recovered, such monies will not find their way back to the looters as the president has directed Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to account for every money it has recovered and put them in a dedicated account.
Also, President Buhari told the visitors that he had assurances from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that, the 2019 elections will be free and fair as he has been a victim of fraudulent elections and beneficiary of the free and fair election in the past.
Buhari added that "when I decided to put on this Agbada (traditional gown) to see what the people are seeing in it, I tried three times, 2003, 2007 and 2011, but the fourth time, in 2015, I succeeded".
The President shown his appreciation God and to technology in the form of permanent voters card and card reader machines, because according to him, what politicians usually do during the previous elections was to look at constituencies, award votes and then ask whoever didn’t agree with the outcome should go to court. When people are looking for what to eat, where do they have the money to go to court to hire Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs)?”
While responding to the request of CAN for an overhaul of the intelligence gathering system, President Buhari said the burden of intelligence gathering involves all and sundry especially, traditional rulers, opinion leaders and religious leaders that are very close to the grassroots. Adding that, bandits who are operating in various communities live among the people. Therefore, the President enjoined leaders of thought in various communities to avail security agencies of information about the criminals.
Reacting to the Presidents' comment, the CAN President applauded the President for his efforts in fighting corruption, the initiatives to stem the tide of unemployment, the various efforts aimed at revamping the economy, the fight against BokoHaram insurgents and the implementation of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) as well as the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
The delegation, however, called on the President, to ensure that the Security Agencies are non-partisan in the forthcoming 2019 General Elections; restore peace to troubled zones in Northern parts of the country especially in the GarshishDistrict of Plateau State, and institute a judicial panel of enquiry to look into the killings in the North Central particularly the murder of Major General Idris Muhammad Alkali (Rtd) as well as the King of Adara Kingdom in Kachia, Kaduna State; Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima.
CAN plead with the President to ensure Nigeria does not go back into economic recession, address as a matter of urgent the lingering issue of minimum wage and also to task the Security Agencies to do everything humanly possible in securing the release of Leah Sharibu, remaining Chibok girls and all other Nigerian in BokoHaram still captivity.
