Three things stand out irrepressibly in the Buahri’s harrowing PTF days, namely: 1) his concentration of over 70% (in some cases, 100%) of all the PFT projects in the north regardless of the fact that the regions in the south might have greater needs for the PTF intervention; 2) the massive frauds that went unsupervised under his watch, which he publicly acknowledged but claimed ignorance and no benefit.
According to the report of the Interim Management Committee, which was set up in that year to investigate the affairs of the Fund, the total income accruing to the Fund from mid-1994 to July 1999 was in excess of N181 billion. There were six major areas in which the PTF intervened directly during the period. They were: roads and waterways; supply of educational materials and rehabilitation of educational infrastructure; food supply; health; water supply; and what was curiously termed other projects. Shockingly, Buhari ensured that over 70% of the projects in the 6 categories were done in the north. What a fair-minded officer and gentleman. A nationalist indeed who shall bring the change we all desire!
Of all the roads rehabilitated by the PTF, only 1984.5 kms of roads representing 24% were carried out in the entire South, from where the bulk of the PTF revenue came since the South consumes over 70% of refined petroleum products. Out of this paltry figure, South West got 10.5% while South East and South South combined, got only 13.5% of all the roads, despite being ravaged by erosion and swamps. What this means is that all the Southern States had 4,440.43 kms or 24 per cent of road rehabilitation as against 13,870.47 kms or 76 per cent in the Northern states.
For instance, under the National Health and Educational Rehabilitation Programme (NHERP), the entire South had zero allocation in the tertiary programme, while the North picked 100 per cent. In the vocational programme, the entire South had 3% while the North had 97%. In the primary area, the South recorded 12% as against 88% for the North and in the secondary area, it was 14% for the entire South and 86% for the North, again courtesy of the fair-minded General who the APC says will bring the change we need.

On the massive fraud discovered when PTF was disbanded in 1999, the prudent, puritan General’s only defence was that he was not aware that such massive frauds went on under his watch, but that in any event, he could not have benefited personally. What manner of defence? And of course he has remained poor ever after and had to take a loan from banks to purchase nomination forms. Buhari must believe Nigerians are a bunch of idiots to tell such a story, despite driving a fleet of armored jeeps.
http://tribune.com.ng/quicklinkss/opinion/item/24957-buhari-s-ptf-days-the-untold-story

Very Interesting.