President Muhammadu Buhari was yesterday put to task by ministers who served with President Goodluck Jonathan, challenging him to go ahead with their probe. The former ministers stated that they have nothing to fear giving account of their stewardship. The erstwhile members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) urged Buhari to press on with his anti-corruption fight, “but in a fair and non-partisan manner, in line with due process and not as a political witch-hunt.” Buhari has launched an inquest into the activities of the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government.
He has ordered probe into the various transactions in the oil sector, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as arms procurement in the country from 2007 to date. Edo State governor, Adams Oshimohole, also recently said that a minister who served in the Jonathan administration allegedly diverted about $6 billion.
But the ministers, in a statement on their behalf by Dr. Abubakar Suleiman, former Minister of National Planning, charged the President to be fair enough to acknowledge the good works of the Jonathan administration. “The various lies and fabrications being peddled by some self-appointed spokespersons of the administration may entertain the unwary, but such sensationalism may achieve the unintended effect of de-marketing our country within the international community,” the statement noted.
The ex-ministers challenged President Buhari to be bold enough to publish the handover notes he received from the immediate past government. While conceding that every administration has the right to chart its own path as it deems fit, the former ministers said the vilification of the Jonathan administration was ill intentioned, unduly partisan and in bad faith. According to them, the effort to portray each and every member of the Jonathan administration as corrupt and irresponsible has created a lynch mentality that discredits their honest contributions to the growth and development of the country.
The ministers said: “We are proud to have served Nigeria and we boldly affirm that we did so diligently and to the best of our abilities. “The improvements that have been noticed today in the power sector, in national security and in social services and other sectors did not occur overnight.
They are products of solid foundations laid by the same Jonathan administration. “Contrary to what the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its agents would rather have the public believe, the Jonathan administration did not encourage corruption, rather it fought corruption vigorously, within the context of the rule of law and due process. “For the benefit of those who may have forgotten so soon, it was the Jonathan administration that got rid of the fraud in fertilizer subsidies, which had plagued the country for decades.
This helped to unleash a revolution in agricultural production and productivity. “It was also the Jonathan administration that supported the institutional development of strong systems and mechanisms to curb corruption in the public service and plug revenue leakages.
These included the development of the Government Integrated Financial Management Platform, The Single Treasury Account (TSA), and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management Systems (IPPIS), in addition to the biometric registration of civil servants and pensioners which saved the country over N100 billion paid to ghost workers and ghost pensioners. “To ensure greater transparency and integrity in the oil and gas sector, the Jonathan administration ordered investigations and put mechanisms in place to check the theft of Nigeria’s crude oil.
It was also under the Jonathan administration that a Nigerian Content Policy was introduced, which opened up that sector to Nigerians in a manner that was not previously the case.” The ex-ministers stated that the Jonathan administration made tremendous impact in governance.
“It was also the Jonathan administration that mobilised and secured the support of our neighbouring countries to ensure a robust multinational response to the menace of terrorism and insurgency, resulting in notable advancements in the fight against terror.
President Jonathan personally initi-ated the collaboration that led to these advancements and ensured that Nigeria provided the needed financial support for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF). “It was the Jonathan administration that repaired and rehabilitated over 25, 000 kilometres of our nation’s roads. Nigeria also became a profitable and preferred investmentfriendly destination. It was under President Jonathan, for example, that Nigeria’s electric power sector became more competitive and attractive to local and foreign investments.
“The same administration promoted the rule of law, free speech, fundamental human rights and a robust freedom of information regime. Women’s rights to participate in public life and the Federal Character principle, as well as other constitutional principles were also respected. In every respect, our administration promoted inclusive governance and encouraged all stakeholders including the private sector to play key roles in the transformation of Nigeria. “It should also not be forgotten that the Jonathan administration strengthened electoral institutions and created a peaceful environment for democracy to thrive,” the statement added.
It described as sad and ironic that the chief beneficiaries of Jonathan’s legacy are the most vociferous in condemning the former president and his team. While noting that no administration can be either completely bad or completely good, the former ministers noted that Jonathan’s achievements in moving the country to greater heights deserve to be duly acknowledged.
“We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to build on these achievements,” they advised. The former ministers said they have reserved their comments until now, in the fervent hope that once the euphoria that may have inspired the various attacks on the past administration wears off, reason will prevail.
“But we are constrained to speak up in defence of the legacy of the Jonathan administration and shall do so again, for as long as those who are determined to rubbish that legacy are unrelenting in their usual deployment of blackmail, persecution and similar tactics,” they noted, adding that the name calling and media trial of members of the past administration should stop.
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