My contract with Nigeria – Buhari

Gen. Buhari

All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday put forward a covenant with Nigerians spelling his blueprint to confront corruption, insecurity and infrastructure decay.

Buhari, who vowed to lead by example in all areas, pledged to declare his assets and liabilities publicly and encourage all his aides to do so. He also promised to stop what he described as the weekly contract bazaar by the Federal Executive Council by inaugurating the National Council on Procurement, the statutory body for contract awards.

On corruption and governance

“No matter how vast our resources, if they are not efficiently utilized, they will only benefit a privileged few, leaving the majority in poverty. I believe if Nigeria does not kill corruption; corruption will kill Nigeria.”

He thus pledged, to “Publicly declare my assets and liabilities and encourage my political appointees to also publicly declare their assets and liabilities.”

”Affirm that our strategy for tackling corruption will not only focus on punishment. Rather, it will also provide incentives for disclosure and transparency.

”Show personal leadership in the war against corruption and also hold all the people who work with me to account.

”Inaugurate the National Council on Procurement as stipulated in the Procurement Act so that the Federal Executive Council, which has been turned to a weekly session of contract bazaar, will concentrate on its principal function of policy making.

”Review and implement audit recommendations by Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

”Work with the National Assembly towards the immediate enactment of a Whistle Blower Act.

”Work with the National Assembly to strengthen ICPC and EFCC by guaranteeing institutional autonomy including financial and prosecutorial independence and security of tenure of officials.

”Make the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) an autonomous and operational agency.

”Encourage proactive disclosure of information by government institutions in the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act.

”Ensure all MDAs regularly comply with their accountability responsibilities to Nigerians through the National Assembly.

”Work with the leadership of the National Assembly to cut down the cost of governance.

”Present a national anti-corruption Strategy.

On how he would confront insurgency and insecurity,
Buhari promised to rise to the occasion,he said as a father he felt the pains of all victims of violence and thus pledged that under his watch to:

”Ensure that under my watch, no force, external or internal, will occupy even an inch of Nigerian soil. I will give all it takes to ensure that our girls kidnapped from Chibok are rescued and reunited with their families.

”Deliver a Marshal Plan on insurgency, terrorism, ethnic and religious violence, kidnapping, rural banditry and ensure that never again will Nigerian children be killed or kidnapped at will.’

”Boost the morale of our fighting forces and the generality of Nigerians by leading from the front as the Commander-in-Chief and not hide in the comfort and security of Aso Rock.

”Give especial attention to the welfare of our armed forces and all other security personnel and their families