Buhari: It’s Difficult to Fight Corruption Under Democratic Rule

*Says Local Govt System Has Been Killed
*Defends $1.9bn Nigeria-Niger Republic railway project

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that it’s been extremely
difficult fighting corruption under a democratic setting in the
country.

The President in an exclusive interview Thursday morning on
Arise TV, emphasised that it had not been easy for him to fight
corruption since he became a democratically elected President six
years ago.

He, however, stressed that his administration had succeeded in
easing out corrupt public officials without making noise about
it.

President Buhari recalled that much was achieved in the fight
against corruption when he was military Head of State in the early
80s “when a lot of people were sent to prisons before I was also
booted out”.

He expressed concern that the local government system was almost
non-existent in the country as the governors had continued to
starve them of funds, saying “in a situation where N300 million is
allocated to local government and they are given N100 million is
not fair”.

While responding to a question during the interview, he said,
”Devolution of powers, you have to define it. Well, actually the
local government system has been killed.

The federal, state and local government if they agree to flow
properly we won’t have all these problems. But the problem is the
local government has been virtually killed and this is not good for
this country because those who became the local government chairman
have been compromised. If your local government is entitled to
receive 300 million and later you are only given 100 million.”

The President, Muhammadu Buhari also defended his decision to
construct railways and roads extending into Niger Republic.

He said borders were arbitrarily drawn by the French
colonialists without taking into cognisance the cultural
similarities of the people of Niger and Nigeria even as he revealed
that he has first cousins in Niger Republic.

He argued that the people of the South-West similarly have
cousins in neighbouring Benin Republic.

The President said another reason the railway is being
constructed is to boost the friendly relationship with Niger which
has helped Nigeria to prevent Boko Haram terrorists from gaining
unfettered access into Nigeria.

Buhari added, “If you recall, when I came, I went to Chad, I
went to Niger, I went to Cameroon. Look at what happened with Boko
Haram. If we were not in a good relationship with Niger, Chad and
Cameroon, Boko Haram would have done worse things to us and you say
I am going to Niger.

“I told you the border between us and Niger is 1, 500km. And
Niger (sic). I spoke to one French man and I had to tell him this.
He spoke nonsense and I told him look, in 1885, you sat down and
drew lines (boundaries). I said I have first cousins in Niger.
There are Kanuris, there are Hausas, there are Fulanis in Niger
Republic just as there are Yorubas in Benin. You can’t absolutely
cut them off.”

He argued that the new rail would help Nigeria to compete with
Benin Republic which has cornered entrepot trade in the region.

Buhari said Niger, which is a landlocked nation, has discovered
oil, and Nigeria does not want them to do trade through Benin
Republic.

“We want them to come through Nigeria. We want them to send
their exports through Nigeria,” the President said.

*Says Local Govt System Has Been Killed
*Defends $1.9bn Nigeria-Niger Republic railway project

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that it’s been extremely
difficult fighting corruption under a democratic setting in the
country.

The President in an exclusive interview Thursday morning on
Arise TV, emphasised that it had not been easy for him to fight
corruption since he became a democratically elected President six
years ago.

He, however, stressed that his administration had succeeded in
easing out corrupt public officials without making noise about
it.

President Buhari recalled that much was achieved in the fight
against corruption when he was military Head of State in the early
80s “when a lot of people were sent to prisons before I was also
booted out”.

He expressed concern that the local government system was almost
non-existent in the country as the governors had continued to
starve them of funds, saying “in a situation where N300 million is
allocated to local government and they are given N100 million is
not fair”.

While responding to a question during the interview, he said,
”Devolution of powers, you have to define it. Well, actually the
local government system has been killed.

The federal, state and local government if they agree to flow
properly we won’t have all these problems. But the problem is the
local government has been virtually killed and this is not good for
this country because those who became the local government chairman
have been compromised. If your local government is entitled to
receive 300 million and later you are only given 100 million.”

The President, Muhammadu Buhari also defended his decision to
construct railways and roads extending into Niger Republic.

He said borders were arbitrarily drawn by the French
colonialists without taking into cognisance the cultural
similarities of the people of Niger and Nigeria even as he revealed
that he has first cousins in Niger Republic.

He argued that the people of the South-West similarly have
cousins in neighbouring Benin Republic.

The President said another reason the railway is being
constructed is to boost the friendly relationship with Niger which
has helped Nigeria to prevent Boko Haram terrorists from gaining
unfettered access into Nigeria.

Buhari added, “If you recall, when I came, I went to Chad, I
went to Niger, I went to Cameroon. Look at what happened with Boko
Haram. If we were not in a good relationship with Niger, Chad and
Cameroon, Boko Haram would have done worse things to us and you say
I am going to Niger.

“I told you the border between us and Niger is 1, 500km. And
Niger (sic). I spoke to one French man and I had to tell him this.
He spoke nonsense and I told him look, in 1885, you sat down and
drew lines (boundaries). I said I have first cousins in Niger.
There are Kanuris, there are Hausas, there are Fulanis in Niger
Republic just as there are Yorubas in Benin. You can’t absolutely
cut them off.”

He argued that the new rail would help Nigeria to compete with
Benin Republic which has cornered entrepot trade in the region.

Buhari said Niger, which is a landlocked nation, has discovered
oil, and Nigeria does not want them to do trade through Benin
Republic.

“We want them to come through Nigeria. We want them to send
their exports through Nigeria,” the President said.