By Zick Gbemre

When President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo recently made public details of their assets which they had declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau, which was also in fulfillment of its promise to Nigerians to do so within first 100 days on assumption of office, rather than the new opposition party to at least acknowledge the noble act of the President and his Vice, they have come again to fault the said assets declaration, claiming that it is a (in their words): “deceptive window-dressing to hoodwink unsuspecting Nigerians.” This is a clear case of a ‘sour looser’ in a Presidential election being demonstrated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

President Mphammadu Buhari

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement said: “The release of a mere list of belongings falls short of credibility, transparency and anti-corruption standards as well as exposes the proclivity of the present administration. We have noted the release of a flimsy list of belongings of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo by the Presidency, who want such to pass as the public declaration of assets as pledged by the President…”

We are however not surprised by the latest outburst by the PDP over the assets declaration by President Buhari and his Vice. This is because for quite some time now, specifically since the PDP and its Presidential candidate, former President Goodluck Jonathan lost the seat of the Presidency to the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, President Mohammadu Buhari, the PDP, like a dog with its tail between its back legs, have been barking and making so much fuss at every opportunity they get, over every action of the now ruling APC government. Just for only barely three months that the PDP has been out of government at the Presidency, they have been crying foul over every action of the new ruling party – APC. This is the same PDP that has been running the Nigerian state for the last 16 years or so. This is the same PDP that had nearly run the economic well-being of the country aground with its mind-boggling corrupt tendencies, especially under the immediate past government of Goodluck Jonathan.

It is funny how the same PDP, whose pedigree of corruption in high places and deplorable legacy that Nigeria is still trying to recover from, is now coming out to talk about President Buhari and his Vice asset declaration and using ‘big words’ like “credibility, transparency and anti-corruption” – words which the PDP Government knew nothing about during their reign, especially during the immediate past government of Jonathan.

For the sake of this discussion and the points raised above by the PDP spokesperson. First, we believe this is a clear case of a black pot calling the kettle black. We have been told in the holy writ that:  “…how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Another way to look at it is when you point your finger to someone and accusing that person of something, also remember that you have four fingers pointing right back at you. Here is the PDP attacking President Buhari and his Vice over their recent asset declaration and claiming that what they have done cannot be said to be the true state of the President’s asset. Whereas, the same PDP Government, particularly in the immediate past Jonathan administration, at no time declared the assets of its principal officeholders both at the Presidency and the various State Governments. Nigerians were not even given a hint of the former President’s worth, as well as PDP State Governors like former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, before and after their terms in office.

As a matter of fact, we demand that the PDP Government under former President Jonathan, including its State Governors like Uduaghan of Delta State, should come forth and tell Nigerians exactly how much is the worth of their assets before they joined government and how much is their assets now that they have left government? Nigerians would still like to know. If it were possible for us to get the exact worth of Goodluck Jonathan’s assets (as well as that of his wife Patience Jonathan), right before he came into political power as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State (then Governor, then Vice President), and compare the his assets now that he has left the public circle as a former President, we are very sure that our mouths would be wide open in shock to discover Jonathan’s staggering worth of assets presently. We will equally get the same shock if we look at the worth and assets of other PDP Governors before and after they left office. For instance, What was the financial status of the immediate former Governor Uduaghan before 1999 when his cousin James Ibori, appointed him as Commissioner of Health? And what is his financial status now that he has left Delta State Government House? We all would be left speechless if we can conduct an investigation of Uduaghan’s current status of wealth, including that of his family members, and compare it with what it was before he was brought into politics and Delta State Government circle by his cousin Ibori. We would be amazed to discover that as at today, Uduaghan is said to be one of the richest men in the country.

And there are obviously other former and current State Governors who are equally guilty of this. Not that they are all members of the PDP. As we all know that it is practically the same crop of politicians that are in both the now ruling APC and the new opposition PDP. So we are not here to defend or speak for or against any political party per se. What separates one politician from the other is not necessarily the party he belongs to, but it is their character and integrity and what they have done while in power that separates the ‘shaft’ from the ‘crop’.

Back to the topic of discuss, the PDP’s criticism of Buhari’s asset declaration is also too hasty and unjustifiable. Aside the fact that the Code of Conduct Bureau had already stated that the said assets declared by President Buhari and Osinbajo is being vetted and would be made public to Nigerians when they are done, we however believe that majority of Nigerians are already satisfied with details of the assets declared by President Buahri and his Vice recently. So we do not understand what the PDP is crying about.

According to a statement by the President’s Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President has about N30m in his only one bank account with Union Bank Plc, while the Vice President has a balance of N94m, $900,000 and 19,000 pounds. The President also has shares in Berger Paints, Skye Bank and Union Bank and a total of seven houses, comprising two mud and a standard house in Daura, his hometown; two homes in Kaduna, one in Kano and one in Abuja. Though, tthe statements did not disclose the worth of the landed property and other assets, which both the President and the Vice President had declared, however, Shehu said the President had no oil well and foreign bank accounts. He said the President had two plots of undeveloped land in Kano and Port Harcourt. The President has not been able to ascertain the location of the Port Harcourt land. The President is also said to have declared that he had a number of cars, two of which he was said to have bought from his savings and the others supplied to him by the Federal Government in his capacity as former Head of State. “The rest were donated to him by well-wishers after his jeep was damaged in a Boko Haram bomb attack on his convoy in July, 2014,” the statement added. He is said to have an orchard and a ranch in Daura with 270 heads of cattle 25 sheep, five horses a variety of birds and a number of economic trees in them. For the Vice President, Shehu said the Senior Advocate of Nigeria declared a four-bedroom residence at Victoria Garden City in Lagos, three-bedroom flat in Ikoyi, Lagos, two bedrooms flat at Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, two-bedroom mortgaged property in Bedford, England. He is said to operating his SimmonsCooper Law firm, which is based in Lagos, and has shares in MTN Nigeria, Octogenerium Ltd., Windsor Grant Ltd., Tarapolsa, Vistorion Ltd.,  Aviva Ltd., all of which are based in Lagos. Osinbajo is also said to have one Infinity 4-Wheel Drive SUV, one Mercedes Benz and a Prado Jeep.

With these revelations, we do not see the reason why the PDP would claim that the said assets declared is a “deceptive window-dressing to hoodwink unsuspecting Nigerians.” Does the PDP think Nigerians are not intelligent enough to draw their own conclusions from the happenings in the polity? It is rather unfortunate that the PDP is using every topic of national discuss/happenings to make its voice heard or try to makes itself relevant in the scheme of things. The question is, what was the PDP expecting? Were they expecting Nigerians to continue to sit down, fold their hands and allow the party and its principal former public officers to run the country aground with their fiscal recklessness, excesses and corrupt tendencies with impunity? Considering the wide celebration (within and outside Nigeria) that greeted the final outcome of the March 28, 2015 Presidential Election when it was announced that Buhari of the APC had won the now former President Jonathan of the PDP, the members of the now opposition party – PDP should have realized that Nigerians and many concerned stakeholders outside the country had really wanted a “Change” from its stronghold of the country in the last 16 years. The PDP had the opportunity (especially with the high oil revenue that was evident only during its reign in power), to transform the Nigerian economy and the standard of living of its citizenry throughout all these years they have been the ruling party, but they practically blew it with their self-centered interests.

Now that the PDP is no longer the ruling party at the Presidency level, they see nothing good coming out of the new ruling party – APC. The PDP, through its national leaders, specifically through its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, have practically been taking daily swipes and criticizing the Buhari administration for almost every action of the ruling party. One then begins to wonder what the PDP is up to. Is this the party’s way of reminding Nigerians that they are still around and still relevant in Nigerian politics?  Is the PDP trying to tell us that since Buhari came into power under the APC, he has not done anything good in the interest of the nation? If the PDP thinks they can convince Nigerians to think otherwise, then they must seriously be dreaming.  Do they think Nigerians are ignorant of the obvious ‘different atmosphere’ of governance between the present government under Buhari and the PDP government under Jonathan? What does the PDP hope to achieve with all their recent publicity stunts and propaganda in trying to paint the new ruling party bad in the eyes of Nigerians? Is the overall interest of the nation not supposed to be the ultimate goal of every public office holder (both serving and ex) regardless of their political party affiliations? How come the PDP are now trying to make us believe that they are suppose to be the best party in the country that has only what it takes to rule the country and no one else can?

The PDP should be advised to always focus on ‘issues of national interest’ rather than attacking every action (even when the action is noble), of President Buhari as a person. Let us remind the PDP that President Buhari will be the second Nigeria’s President to publicly declare his assets. The late President, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, also from Katsina State as Buhari, was the first and the only Nigeria’s President to have publicly declared his assets when he assumed office. This action forced his then deputy, who is now former President Goodluck Jonathan, to also make his assets declaration forms available to the public then. However, since he assumed office and has left, former President Jonathan had refused to make the forms available to the public, saying that he did that when he was serving as deputy to Yar’Adua. And Nigerians are still left in the dark regarding his true asset worth, even as the former President has left office after May 29, 2015.

Let us also bring to the knowledge of the PDP that following the declaration of asset by President Muhammadu Buhari, which puts his savings at $150,000 (N30m ), The Washington Post has said in one of its report that Buhari may be the least corrupt in Africa. According to the report which was tied to obtainable standards of other sub-Saharan African leaders, Buhari was described as being ‘dirt-poor’. The Washington Post stated, “Corruption, after all, is a major problem in Africa’s largest economy. Buhari himself has publicly said that more than $150 billion is missing from the government’s coffers. Still, the public declaration appears to be an attempt to show some much-needed transparency. Buhari was elected in March largely by promising that he wouldn’t tolerate corruption. “What is clear is that Buhari has done what his predecessors — and most other African leaders — have never done,” the report noted. The report then went on to consider five other African leaders that have been labeled by Forbes Magazine as the “five worst leaders in Africa.” Though, the report asked “the question on many minds is this: Is Buhari, Nigeria’s former military ruler and ex-head of the oil ministry, telling the truth? However we believe a look at the history and person of Buhari as an individual in public service, we have every reasons not to doubt his integrity as regards the assets he had declared.

A flashback would explain exactly what we mean. When he seized power from General Gowon, the then  Military ruler, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed (1938-76) told the nation on July 30 1975 that: “this Government will not tolerate indiscipline. The Government will not condone abuse of office”, and truly, he kept his word. He retired over ten thousand public servants including top military officers. He set up a committee that reviewed the performances of all public officers. At the end of the exercise, only two Ministers were found not guilty, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Shettima Alli Mongunnu. At that time Nigeria had twelve States Governors: Benue-Plateau, Chief Superintendent of Police Joseph Gomwalk, East Central-Ukpabi Asika, Kano-Deputy Police Commissioner Audu Bako, Kwara-Brigadier David Bamigboye, Lagos-Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson, Mid-West- Brigadier Samuel Ogbemudia, North Central- Brigadier Abba Kyari, North-East Brigadier Musa Usman (Air Force), North- West Police Superintendent Usman Faruk, Rivers- Lieutenant Alfred Diete-Spiff(Navy), South-East- Brigadier Uduokaha Jacob Esuene (Air Force) and West- Brigadier Christopher Oluwole Rotimi. Only two of the Governors, Brigadiers Oluwole Rotimi and Mobolaji Johnson were cleared of corruption. Quite a number of public servants, Ministers and Governors had their assets seized. No one was prosecuted for corruption.

In taking over power from President Shehu Shagari, the then Major General Muhammadu Buhari told the nation on January 1, 1984 that: “the change became necessary in order to put an end to the serious economic predicament and the crisis of confidence now afflicting our nation”. He said: “the situation could have been saved if the legislators were alive to their constitutional responsibilities. Instead, the legislators were pre-occupied with determining their salary scales, fringe benefits and unnecessary foreign travels, et cetera, which took no account of the state of the economy and the welfare of the people they represented”. And to mark his one hundred days in office on April 7, 1984, the then Major General Muhammadu Buhari further told the nation that: “we took over from the defunct civilian Administration at the Federal and State levels a financial situation of vast indebtedness. In fact, the depth and seriousness of the financial predicament of the State Governments and, by implication, of the nation has become clearer and clearer, day by day. The Federal Government had to assist State Governments recently with a sum of over N 600 million as loan to enable them pay all arrears of wages and salaries before the end of April 1984”. Is all of this not the exact picture of what we see happening today under the present administration?

At that time he was 42 and still vibrant, resounding and resonant. As a military officer with regimental discipline he turned to decrees to administer the nation. They are (1.) The Constitution and modification decree 1 of 1984, which he signed into law on February 9 1984 (2.) The state security detention of persons decree of 1984, which he signed into law on February 9 1984, (3.) the Federal Military Government Supremacy and Enforcement of Power  of 1984 which is known as decree 13, which he signed into law on May 13, 1984,(4) the Exchange  Control (anti-sabotage) decree 1984 otherwise known as decree 7 which he signed into law on April 5 1984, (5) the counterfeit currency special provision decree 1984 otherwise known as decree 22 which signed into law on May 17, 1984,(6) the Public officers Protection against false accusations decree 1984 which he signed on April 17 1984, (7)the robbery and fire arms special  provision decree 1984 which set up special tribunal for the trial of armed robbery and special cases, (8) Political Parties (Dissolution and Prohibition) Decree, 1984: this Decree provides for the dissolution and Prohibition of political parties and other similar organisation and forfeiture, disposal and discharge of the assets and liabilities of the dissolved political parties and state Creation movements and (9) the Banking (Freezing of Accounts) Decree, 1984: which empowers the Head of the Federal Military Government, where he suspects or believes that any person has been involved in certain offences, including bribery and abuse of office, to issue or cause orders to be issued authorising an investigation into the accounts of such persons and restricting the operation of such accounts on such conditions as may be prescribed in the order.

Major General Buhari at that time was young, vibrant and patriotically adventurous. On August 7 1985, he was toppled at 6.00 a.m. via an announcement by the then Commander of the Armoured Corps of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier Joshua Dongoyaro. On that day Major General Ibrahim Babangida took over as the head of state. Major General Buhari was detained for three years thereafter. He was first detained in a government house at Alagbaka in Akure, where he became my neighbour before he was eventually transferred to Benin City. On November 24, 1993, General Babangida signed the forfeiture of assets (release of forfeited assets decree 24) and returned some of the forfeited properties to former governors under General Gowon including Faruk and his wife, Brigadiers Samuel Ogbemudia, David Bamigboye, Alfred Diete-spiff and Chief Edwin Clarke who served as Gowon’s Minister of information. The Decree rubbished the anti-corruption crusade of General Muhammadu Buhari.

Now President Muhammadu Buhari is back in power, apparently fully experienced and fully cautious. At seventy-two, having passed through many ordeals, we believe he is now more scrupulous and punctilious. In the last few weeks the country has been treated with stories of massive looting by the Goodluck Jonathan’s PDP-led government. It appears it is the misfortune of President Muhammadu Buhari to head a “corrective regime instead of a regime of continuity”. Things have to be so bad that he has to step in to remedy a worse situation. That is the unfortunate cross President Buhari has to carry. To his credit and in the words of President Barak Obama, “he is a man of integrity”- a befitting testimonial that is very rare among leaders of today’s world. No more decrees to govern this time. No more Supreme Military Council to guide him. He has to rely on his conscience and his God. The constitution has bestowed on him the sole authority to shape the lives of the masses through the Nigerian economy and socio-political space. In the immediate President Buhari has to reconstruct his government and recover all the loot from the officials of the previous government. If he recovers the lot without prosecution, he is bound to lose a lot of goodwill. If he prosecutes few, he will be judged selective. Even if he prosecutes at all, he should be prepared to face the consequences for corruption has a way of fighting back. Without a doubt, President Buhari has a big burden on his shoulder to carry. Which is the more reason why we do not see the need for all the noise being made by the now opposition party – the PDP.

We are simply finding it difficult to understand what the problem with the PDP is at the moment. Are they finding it ‘very uncomfortable’ to remain as the opposition party? Why launch out “a hate-campaign” trend just because they are no longer the ruling party? Does this make sense? Being an opposition party is no license to continue to criticize every action of the ruling Government. The PDP should be objective in their criticisms and they should also not fail to admit their own faults and mistakes made in the past.

President Buhari is already well-known as a very principled and disciplined leader who not only portrays a life of modesty and high moral standards, but has also demonstrated that he frowns against corruption and impunity. Perhaps, it is this reality that has instilled fear in the hearts of past political leaders of the PDP, which have now made them to be crying and making so much fuss against the actions of the present government. But regardless of one’s political party, we believe what makes a political leader to perform differently from another is in their character, integrity, moral standards and personal principles. This is what has separated President Buahri from the past political leaders we have had in the last 16 years of the country’s democracy. It is the individual that primarily makes all the difference between ‘good governance’ and ‘bad governance’, not necessarily the political party. The political party, especially in Nigeria where most of them do not have clear cut ‘ideologies’ for the nation, is just a platform through which political leaders are elected into public office.

So at the end of the day, it is the person that occupies the seat that makes all the needed change and difference in the polity, even though the political party will always be echoed at the front of events. We therefore ask the PDP to sheath their swords of a smear campaign against the ruling APC government under President Bahari. What should matter most to all are the “general interest of Nigerians” and not the interest of any political party. Our political leaders should always have it at the back of their minds that they were elected by the people to “serve the interest of the public” as custodians of state resources, and not their selfish interest or that of their party/party members. Let us also reiterate at this point that we are not here to speak for or in support of the APC as a political party. We are not a member of any political party (be it PDP, APC or others), neither do we have any affiliations with any political party in this regard. Our objective here is to project the need for ‘balance’ in Nigeria’s political space between whatever political party that is in government and the one in the opposition; for the primary interest of the Nigerian people and their wellbeing.

Zik Gbemre,JP.

National Coordinator

Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)