You See The Junta Coming Back; Tufiakwa! The Muhammadu Buhari Interview ‘Those Who Want To Flee When I Take Over Are Free To Run’! Vanguard

Even before Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retired), a former Head of State, emerged as the presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 general elections on Thursday, many book makers had predicted his victory. The prediction was predicated on what was described as the cult-like followership he enjoys, especially in the North. With a record of vying for the fourth time for the presidency, Buhari is challenging President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 presidential election. This interview gives a glimpse into the thinking of the APC presidential candidate on governance, corruption, insecurity, the economy, etc. Excerpts:
Some people look at you and the feeling they immediately get is one of amazement, others express amusement, while some are just bewildered; a few even pooh-pooh your ambition, describing you as a permanent presidential candidate. There must be a spirit that propels you because having contested twice before and seeing how it went, you are in the race again this time around, what is that driving force?

I am hoping that Nigerians would eventually be allowed to choose their presidential material.
I am going to refer you to the Electoral Act 2003 and 2006 as well as the Electoral Act of 2010 and 2011 as amended.  I am also going to refer you to the judgment of the Supreme Court in December 2008 on the matter and you will find out that the way our presidential materials emerged was not the proper way.  The judgment placed so much doubt on the outcome of that election that it split the Supreme Court into two.  The records are there.  Three Justices said the elections were not held properly and that they had their facts and the others said well we had to stabilize the polity and that conducting another election at that time would not be auspicious.  The Chief Justice cast his last vote.
For me, it is about doing good and the people give me the drive.

The President took a swipe at some former Nigerian leaders, describing them as those who have destroyed our economy and coming out now to complain. You have ruled this country once before and one of your economic policies was Counter Trade. Looking at the economy today, what are those things you would point at that are fundamental to making the economy prosperous?
I am not an economist but with my experience, it is about the indiscipline and lack of probity of the PDP government because they have been the government in charge in the last 12 years and so let nobody come out and blame others for the woes of their party which they have foisted on the nation.
Which ever leadership the President was referring to could not have been any other leadership but the PDP leadership that is so corrupt and inept and undisciplined.
Just go and take a look at our earnings since 1999 and tell me that we have proper records or that we have spent the money judiciously.
Okay, again, take a look at the state of our infrastructure now and tell me that since the PDP took over in 1999, things have really been far better than they were before they took over.
You are a Nigerian and you know what I am talking about.

You have spoken in general terms but were you to make a presentation to the business community, what are those things you would be telling them about your economic agenda – in specific terms?
Firstly, let us secure our country.
It means anything that comes to this country should be secure, but with people being kidnapped, armed robbery, bombings here and there, bad roads, fraudulent practices, nobody would come in and invest in quantum, nobody would bring substantial investment into this country, we are all joking.  Which investor would bring money into the country and then you kidnap his manager and the money you are asking for as ransom is far more than the money he even wants to come and invest in the country, nobody would agree to that.
What the PDP governments in the past ought to have done is to properly manage this country and one of the best ways of doing that is by putting the infrastructure right and which would support the resuscitation of industries – that is power.  Then there is the issue of roads and making transportation less of a burden for the people.  Between Lagos and, say, Kano, you’ll be surprised that the number of road blocks on the road is as much as 50, with officers and men of the Customs, the police, FRSC, and almost all demanding for money – this kills the spirit.  The PDP cannot escape responsibility for the mismanagement of the country and its economy.  Under the PDP, everything has been going from bad to worse.

Get The Full Interview @ http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/m-u-h-m-m-d-u-b-u-h-r-interview-want-flee-take-free-run/