Nigerian Pilot report
The decision of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC,
Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, not to probe past corrupt individuals has
been linked to threats by sponsors of his campaign to withdraw their financial
support for his electioneering campaign. Buhari, who told Nigerians he lacks
the financial resources and had to obtain a bank loan of N27.5million to pay the
nomination form fee of the APC, has been running a campaign that has gulped
several billions.Investigation reveals that Buhari caused disquiet within the APC at the beginning
of his presidential campaign when he promised to send all corrupt people to
Kirikiri prison if he wins the presidential election.
It was gathered that major sponsors of Buhari, including a former governor of
Lagos state, two incumbent governors from the South South and another former
governor from an oil producing state who is undergoing corruption trial, were
rattled by the promise of Buhari to clamp down on corrupt individuals.
Other big spenders for the Buhari campaign are three former governors
from the North who are presently facing corruption trials.
The jittery major sponsors of Buhari’s campaign had threatened to stop
bankrolling his campaign unless he gives them assurances that he will not probe
them if he is elected.
Following consultations within the party, it was gathered that a consensus
was finally reached with the presidential candidate that he will turn blind eye to
all the past looters of states treasury and concentrate his anti-corruption war to
May 29 and beyond.
The first hint that Buhari has been restrained from probing past corrupt political office holders if elected into office, was dropped last December by
the national Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, who told
journalists in Benin City, Edo state, that a Buhari presidency will not dig into
the past.
The APC presidential candidate confirmed last Wednesday in Kaduna that APC will extend amnesty to public officials found wanting in corruption cases from 1999 to May 29 2015 will be pardoned.
However, he said from the moment he takes over office, anyone indicted of corruption will face the punishment. Speaking in Hausa, Buhari said: “On the issue of past corrupt leaders facing trials in various courts across the country, I would allow the courts to decide on those cases, but whoever that is indicted of corruption between 1999 to the time of swearing-in, would be pardoned. I am going to draw a
line, anybody who involved himself in corruption after I assume office, will
face the music.” However, some supporters of Buhari,who are rooting for him on the bases of the fact that he will rid the nation of corruption, are disappointed at this development and beginning to have a rethink on Buhari’s capacity to tackle
corruption since most of the corrupt politicians sponsoring his campaign
will be treated as sacred cows if he is ever elected as president.
The decision of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC,
Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, not to probe past corrupt individuals has
been linked to threats by sponsors of his campaign to withdraw their financial
support for his electioneering campaign. Buhari, who told Nigerians he lacks
the financial resources and had to obtain a bank loan of N27.5million to pay the
nomination form fee of the APC, has been running a campaign that has gulped
several billions.Investigation reveals that Buhari caused disquiet within the APC at the beginning
of his presidential campaign when he promised to send all corrupt people to
Kirikiri prison if he wins the presidential election.
It was gathered that major sponsors of Buhari, including a former governor of
Lagos state, two incumbent governors from the South South and another former
governor from an oil producing state who is undergoing corruption trial, were
rattled by the promise of Buhari to clamp down on corrupt individuals.
Other big spenders for the Buhari campaign are three former governors
from the North who are presently facing corruption trials.
The jittery major sponsors of Buhari’s campaign had threatened to stop
bankrolling his campaign unless he gives them assurances that he will not probe
them if he is elected.
Following consultations within the party, it was gathered that a consensus
was finally reached with the presidential candidate that he will turn blind eye to
all the past looters of states treasury and concentrate his anti-corruption war to
May 29 and beyond.
The first hint that Buhari has been restrained from probing past corrupt political office holders if elected into office, was dropped last December by
the national Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, who told
journalists in Benin City, Edo state, that a Buhari presidency will not dig into
the past.
The APC presidential candidate confirmed last Wednesday in Kaduna that APC will extend amnesty to public officials found wanting in corruption cases from 1999 to May 29 2015 will be pardoned.
However, he said from the moment he takes over office, anyone indicted of corruption will face the punishment. Speaking in Hausa, Buhari said: “On the issue of past corrupt leaders facing trials in various courts across the country, I would allow the courts to decide on those cases, but whoever that is indicted of corruption between 1999 to the time of swearing-in, would be pardoned. I am going to draw a
line, anybody who involved himself in corruption after I assume office, will
face the music.” However, some supporters of Buhari,who are rooting for him on the bases of the fact that he will rid the nation of corruption, are disappointed at this development and beginning to have a rethink on Buhari’s capacity to tackle
corruption since most of the corrupt politicians sponsoring his campaign
will be treated as sacred cows if he is ever elected as president.
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