By Ishaya Ibrahim
On May 27, President Muhammadu Buhari spoke with a reporter of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) on a number of issues to mark the end of his first term. There were a number of false claims made by the President during the interview.
Reporter: In the build-up to the 2019 elections, the so-called Nigerian elite as you used to call them, campaigned vigorously against your reelection. Did you feel betrayed?
Buhari: I only know that the so-called Nigerian elite, they want to impress on the population and majority of Nigerians that they do dictate the terms to government at all levels, centre, states and local governments. Don’t forget, I contested three times before I won the fourth time. In each case, 2003, 2007 and 2011, I ended up in the Supreme Court. So, rarely, I understand Nigerian politics. What I found out is that the elite are for themselves. And I don’t think we should bother about what they feel and what threat they could pose.
False claim one: First, it is not journalistic to ask a question that is laden with bias. The reporter showed bias in portraying the last election as a contest between the elite vs Buhari. That cannot be true. Buhari himself is a member of the elite. The Oxford dictionary defines an elite as ‘a group or class of people seen as having the most power and influence in society, especially on account of their wealth or privilege.
In the 2019 election, Buhari had as many elite behind him as his rival, Atiku Abubakar. In fact, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote and another billionaire, Femi Otedola were named as advisory members for the Buhari’s re-election.
The chairman of his campaign council was Lagos kingmaker, Bola Tinubu.
The Buhari’s camp was so lucrative that it attracted many power blocs from the PDP to its side, including former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, former Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, former Governor of Enugu, Sullivan Chime, a former PDP national chairman, Adamu Mu’azu and much other high profile elite. It is therefore not true that the last election was between Buhari vs Nigerian elite.
Reporter: People are wondering during the elections that you never for once expressed doubt that you were going to win the last election. And you won by 15.1 million votes. What gave you so much confidence?”
Buhari: I was confident because I saw the signs that Nigerians understood me. Don’t forget, I tried three times and it is only the fourth time that I won. And there was no local government I haven’t visited in this country. Not to talk of states. The 774 local governments between 2003 and 2011 I visited all of them. And most of the time, I went by road, or I use a boat or by air because I was on my own.
False claim two: By Nigeria’s electoral law, campaign period lasts for just 90 days, including weekends.
Politicians have complained that the time is too short to tour all the 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). So, they sometimes cover two states in one day to ensure that they have a feel of every state.
Buhari’s campaigns in 2003 to 2011 were limited by the fact that he was a lone ranger, which makes it highly unlikely that he could tour all the states.
In 2015, he struck an alliance with other power blocs in the South and that gave his campaign a lot of war-chest, and that was how he was able to tour all the states in the build-up to that election. Even at that time, it is unthinkable for him to claim that he toured the 20 local governments of Lagos State, not to talk of all the 774 councils of the country. The claim, therefore, is false.
Reporter: Your relationship with the National Assembly was not the best. To what will you attribute their uncooperative attitude?
Buhari: I think the culture was developed in the National Assembly. That they should dictate the terms. I think it was wrong. How do you feel to hold the country to ransom for seven months without passing the budget? I told them you are not hurting me. You are hurting the country. So, rarely, in terms of patriotism, I rate them very low.
False claim three: President Buhari presented the 2019 budget to the National Assembly on December 19, 2018, that is, six days to Christmas and 12 days to the new year.
The lawmakers passed the budget on April 30, 2019, that is, four months after it was presented to them. Buhari signed the same budget on May 27, that is, 27 days after the lawmakers sent it to him.
It is, therefore, a false claim for the President to allege that the National Assembly held the budget for seven months.
By the fiscal responsibility act, the budget ought to be laid to the National Assembly by September. And given that 2019 was an election year, the executive should have done everything possible not to exceed the September deadline. If that had happened, the budget would probably have been ready by January. So, Buhari made a false claim that the National Assembly held the budget for seven months.
Reporter: Mr President security is still a major challenge. Despite the fact that you have degraded Boko Haram as promised, kidnapping for ransom is still an issue that is threatening the peace of the country. How do you feel about that?
Buhari: I feel very bad indeed because there is a failure of neighbourhood security. Those who are perpetrating these atrocities against communities, and against state and the country, they come from somewhere in Nigeria. And the communities have traditional rulers, and of course, the police are on the front line. The police are in every major town and cities in this country. They are not given the uniform and rifle to impress anybody. But to secure the people. With these, I think the community leadership and the police have failed this country.
Reporter: So, what assurance are you giving to Nigerians?
Buhari: The assurance I can give to Nigerians is that I will continue to do my best.
False claim four: Shockingly, the reporter is the one who made a false claim when he told Buhari that he had degraded Boko Haram as promised.
Boko Haram is still active in the North East, except that the bandits in the North West have taken the media spotlight from them.
On May 19, just eight days before the false claim, the PREMIUM TIMES reported that Boko Haram insurgents attacked a camp housing the Nigerian Army 5 Brigade and the 159 Task Force Battalion in Gubio, Borno State, killing, wounding and displacing soldiers.
Buhari, on his own part, blamed traditional leaders and the police for the failing security in the country, thereby absolving himself of responsibility.
Reporter: What kind of people are you likely to have as ministers in the next four years?
Buhari: When I addressed the cabinet I said I am very pleased. We didn’t have any major scandal. And anybody who hasn’t got any evidence against my ministers, then people have to trust me on which of the ministers I will retain, and which of the ministers I will say goodbye.
False claim five: There were major scandals involving Buhari’s cabinet. Kemi Adeosun resigned because of a fake National Youth Service Corps exemption certificates.
Another minister, Adebayo Shittu, refused to resign or be fired by the President for skipping NYSC. The APC, however, disqualified him from participating in the governorship primary of Oyo State because of that.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and his counterpart in the ministry of interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, allegedly reinstated a fugitive, Abdulrasheed Maina and promoted him to a rank of director. Maina is a wanted man for stealing police pension fund. Both men were unscathed by the scandal.
Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, remained untouched after he approved N2.5 billion to a company for Nigeria’s digital switchover against the government directive that only government-affiliated companies should be engaged in the programme.
The boss of the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, Modibbo Kawu is the one left to carry the can.
