Baba Saleh Zaria is the National President of National Rights Protection Organisation (NRPO), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Zaria, Kaduna state. He spoke recently with MOH BELLO HABIB on President Muhammadu Buhari’s one year scorecard.
How would you access President Buhari?
Well, so far, so good. The coming of President Buhari administration is a divine intervention of Almighty God. It is a blessing because of the excesses, despotism, oppression as well as outright defiance of people’s will by the PDP. For 16 years, the PDP had established a system of impunity and corruption. To top it all, after having been established in power which has made them so drunk that, they disrespected human sanctities.
Inspite of massive looting of public treasury, the PDP has orchestrated anti-people policies, and sponsored an artificial insurgency in the name of Boko Haram in the North – East region, with the intent to make it demonstrable in the whole Northern region. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people irrespective of their beliefs, were gruesomely murdered, displaced, and their hard earned property destroyed.
So, by and large, the election of PMB is one of the good fortunes to happen to this country, at a time our country men and women are crying for a Messiah to come and deliver them. In the last one year, PMB has achieved many credits, among them are the fight against the dreaded Boko Haram insurgency; the actualization of Single Treasury Accounts TSA in all the Federal Government Ministries, parastatals, agencies and institutions, which has blocked leakages of siphoning public funds, and his fight against corruption.
Then what are the challenges you noticed?
There are of course some challenges in any administration, especially if the government that has zero tolerance on corruption practices. You see, if one is fighting corruption, it will hit back. Some opposition party members who are declared to be corrupt are somehow creating hitches, hiccups in the PMBs fight against corruption.
Secondly, the economy is hitting the common man hard, which means the lives of ordinary is getting hard. Thirdly, the so-called Niger-Delta terrorists have declared war against the nation. These are some of the challenges.
Some Niger-Delta terrorists had declared war against the Nigeria state, blowing up major pipelines, which is economic sabotage and threatening corporate existence of the country. What is your reaction to this?
It all started during the Obasanjo regime, up to the time late President Umaru Yaradua came to power and granted the region amnesty. They received monthly allocation, and payment from NDDC and amnesty programme. So, when their brother from the region Goodluck Jonathan president, the activities of these militants had reached an alarming proportion, so much that, they consider themselves sacred cows, untouchables and above the law.
So PMB administration ought to have applied the only language they understand which is force, fire and brimstone. There is no way, in my humble opinion a group of terrorists should be allowed to hold this nation to ransom.
PMB administration must view these recent Niger-Delta agitations from the criminal and terrorism point of view, and declare war on them in the same way and manner the FG declared war on Boko Haram insurgents. I don’t see any distinction between Boko Haram insurgents and Niger Delta militants now they must be treated the same way.
But the FG and 5 Niger – Delta governors had agreed to withdrawal of army for dialogue to commence?
Cut…….why the dialogue? These people have been given the chance to be pacified….they are receiving 13 percent derivation of oil proceeds, there is Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), there is an
amnesty programme in which they received monthly allocation that triples of many states in other regions. Then, what do they want? How long would we continue to dialogue with them? This is enough. In our view, the FG/Buhari administration must not have a dialogue with them, and our army must remain there, so that they don’t have a room to recuperate and do more damage.
Recently, the COAS TY Buratai has said that the ongoing Fulani herdsmen and farmers clashes has an established link with Boko Haram insurgency. What is your reaction?
The mother of a child named Boko Haram was conceived in Bayelsa State, and delivered to Eagle Square Abuja – during the bombings of 50th Anniversary by the Niger-Delta militants. Then it was transported via Calabar to Cameron and then to Maiduguri, Yobe and Adamawa States.
That was first child of Boko Haram. That was why PMB once said during the electioneering campaign that, the Boko Haram insurgency has a link with Niger Delta militancy. The same sponsors of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East zones are now changing strategy and techniques to create problems for the
Buhari administration, since he has resolve to right the wrongdoings of the past government and make the country great again.
How do you assess the fight against corruption of President Buhari?
It is commendable and a fulfilment of his earlier campaign provinces to the Nigeria electorates. It is a well-known fact that, corruption has been the bane to our national progress and development for so many decades. And PMB, being a patriotic and nationalistic Nigerian, who believes in this country, as well as above board, has nursed an ambition to fight it headon.
So far, many corrupt persons who illegally siphon or looted public funds are either refunding it secretly, or being arrested to return it. So, by and large, fight against corruption, as I said in the beginning of this interview, is one of the biggest achievements of PMB administration. It is on course, and we Nigerian are solidly behind him.
Some people are of the view that PMB is not intelligent in the economic sense and he refused to appoint an economic adviser, but he is honest transparent and truthful. Do you share this view?
No, I don’t agree with that. Must a president be an economic guru?
There are some economic experts around him, whom are not seen. Look at his economic policies so far, they are constructive and in tone with realities of the day. The only problem is that, PMB has assumed power, when the country is grounded in corruption, and impunity has taken over the whole nation.
PMB has netted over 3 trillion naira in the Single Treasury Account (TSA), and over 100 billion naira and dollars recovered from corrupt persons by Anticorruption Agencies. What do you think he will do to minimize the hardship of the citizens?
First of all, the federal government should put young men and women into agric sector, free fertilizers, seedlings and tractors. Nigerians should appreciate Buhari administration’s efforts in setting up a rice and wheat production taskforce, which will go a long way in providing food security, gainful employment and drastic reduction of crimes.
What appeal can you make to Nigerians?
Nigerians should not forget that Buhari has inherited a dilapidated house and looted treasury. Therefore, he needs good understanding, time, patience, co-operation and prayers.