President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his government will not spare any member of the All Progressives Congress as well as associates found culpable of corruption.
The President, who is currently on a four-day visit to the United States President, Barack Obama, said this during an interview with the CNN anchor, Christiane Amanpour.
“If any of my associates or party member is indicted of corruption, they cannot escape justice. There is not going to be any APC member or any close personality found guilty that would escape justice,” he said.
Buhari reiterated his commitment to ending insurgency in the country, noting that the release of the Chibok girls was a paramount agenda of his government.
“Our main objective as a government is to secure the release of those girls safe and sound, back to their schools and rehabilitate them to go back to their normal lives. So, if we are convinced the girls would be delivered safe and sound, we will negotiate.”
The President said he was not disappointed that President Obama did not choose to visit Nigeria.
He said that he would send a formal invitation to the US President to visit Nigeria.
“I wouldn’t say I was disappointed that President Obama did not choose to visit Nigeria but I wish that he would change his mind and come to Nigeria. Well, I asked him to come and would send a formal invitation,” he said.
Reacting to criticism against his administration, Buhari said it was too early for people to pass judgment on him based on his campaign promises.
He said, “I think I can be held accountable for my promises in the next quarters I have ahead of me. I think it is too early for anybody to pass judment on my campaign promises.”
Responding to a question on whether he would trade the missing Chibok girls for the release of incarcerated members of the Boko Haram sect, Buhari said, “ We have to be very careful about the credibility of various Boko Haram leaders coming out to claim that they can deliver the girls . We have to be very careful indeed and we are taking our time because we want to bring them back safe and sound to their parents.
Buhari said he supported the trial of former Chadian dictator, Hissene Habre, anywhere so far justice prevails.
He said, “Justice is justice, whether it’s done in Africa or anywhere in the world. The most important thing is let justice be done. Whatever evidence that the prosecution has in Senegal, I think it should proceed to make it available to the world and prosecute him according to international law.”
Commenting on whether or not his administration would negotiate with the Boko Haram sect, Buhari insisted that the major objective of his administration was to secure the release of the girls.
He said, “I cannot be against it. I told you that our main objective as a government is to secure those girls safe and sound back to their schools and rehabilitate them to get back to normal life.
So, if we are convinced that the leaders (of Boko Haram) can deliver those girls safe and sound, we wouldn’t fail to negotiate what they want.”
In another development, Buhari said the introduction of the Permanent Voter Cards and card readers by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the last general elections made the difference between the previous elections he had participated in and the last one he won.
Buhari said this in Washington during a meeting he had with the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, during his ongoing four-day official visit to the US.
Buhari again thanked the US for its support and assistance to Nigeria ahead of the elections.
He particularly thanked Kerry who visited Nigeria twice before the conduct of the March 28 presidential election when he presented American government’s position on the need for free and fair general elections in Nigeria.
He said Nigeria would remain grateful to the US for exerting pressure on the former government to ensure peaceful and credible elections.
The President said, “The United States’ message sent to the previous administration was clean and clear that the United States would not accept anything extra constitutional and that prepared the minds of Nigerians to make us arrive where we are today.”
