President Muhammadu Buhari has wondered why
he came into government at this period of
economic challenges but expressed optimism in
the success of the administration with God’s
help.
The Punch reports that the president said this on
Friday, February 5 when he was addressing the
members of the Nigerian community in the
United Kingdom in London.
President Buhari said he always wondered why
oil, which used to sell for over $140 per barrel,
would reduce to $30 per barrel during his time as
president and why he wasn’t in charge when the
country was financially buoyant. He said he
however continue to pray to God to be merciful
to the over 170 million Nigerians.

“With the problems we have in this government, I
sometimes wonder. At least, this time around, I
asked for it, I prayed for it, I went round the
country and I asked for it. But the first time under
the military, I allowed the military to take decision.
“But I say why me? Why is it that it is when they
have spent all the money, when they made the
country insecure that I returned?
“Why didn’t I come when the treasury was full? Oil
price was over $140 per barrel and when I came, it
slipped down to $30. Why me?
“I keep on praying to God to pity Nigeria and its
over 170 million people who are exposed to
climate change, illiteracy and poverty.”
Buhari said his administration had succeeded in
mopping up over N2.2trn as of January through
the Treasury Single Account arrangement. He
explained that although it was introduced by
former president, Goodluck Jonathan, he didn’t
know why it was not implemented.
“You know the condition we are in now. I am sure
with demands from home, in spite of what your
effort is, you know we are really in trouble.
“We have tried to impose what we call Treasury
Single Account. The reason is simple. This
government did not initiate it; it was initiated by
the previous government. But it was so unpopular
to the bureaucracy, so the previous government for
its own reasons, could not impose it.
“But when we came and we found out that we were
broke, we said this is the way to do it.
“I will tell you two examples to convince you.
Firstly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
had more than 45 accounts. Ministry of Defence
had more than 70 accounts. Tell me which
Accountant-General can trace all these accounts?
“So, we imposed TSA. By the end of December,
coming to January 2016, we mopped up more than
N2.2trn which would have been used through
bureaucratic system to raise vouchers and sign
cheques so that they don’t go into the next
budget.”

The president applauded the United States and
Britain for preventing the previous administration
from rigging the election. He recalled that Samdo
Dasuki, the national security adviser had urged
the service chiefs to tell the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) that they
could not guarantee safety during the polls. He
said Professor Attahiru Jega, the chairman of
INEC had guarantee 60 percent free and fair
election at a point when the country had only
managed 45 per cent.
“Then we insisted that election must be done
according to the constitution.

“At this point again, I must hasten to thank the
United States for sending the Secretary of State,
Kerry, to go and read the riot act to the previous
government and speak to Prof. Jega, the Chairman
of INEC and speak to us as opposition that the US
would not tolerate any election outside the Nigerian
constitution.
“They maintained the pressure from that date until
after the election and the formation of the new
government.
“I think Nigerians honestly should thank the US for
this. The same thing with Britain, they used all
their experience and their powers to make sure
that the Federal Government did not rig the last
election.
“We thank God, we thank these super powers and
we thank technology. Why we thank technology is
because of the permanent voter cards and the card
readers.”
Meanwhile, t he president has handed over power
to Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president while he is
on a short vacation, a move that has generated
reactions from Nigerians.

See The Look @ Buhari. http://skyevibes.com/2016/02/06/why-me-why-did-i-come-into-government-now-buhari/