#IStandWithNigeria: Why We Must All Rally Against Malgovernance

NewsRescue

Nigeria has not found the ‘change’ it fought for that the Buhari administration promised and was sworn in to deliver. Corruption and profligacy are the major bane of developing nations and remain Nigeria’s curse.

I proceed to list just some of the reasons why we Nigerians and friends of Nigeria shall begin to protest from February 6th across Nigeria and abroad.

Nepotism

SaharaReporters obtained “a list of at least 91 people tied to influential or highly placed Nigerians who were recently offered juicy appointments by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in a hiring process that was highly secretive. The list of beneficiaries of the CBN’s job largesse include a daughter of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, a son of Mamman Daura, a nephew of President Muhammadu Buhari, among others.” The Buhari government has been indicted in several more similar cases of nepotism including with the Federal inland Revenue department and nothing has been done. [Nigeria’s Central Bank Illegally Hired, Sons, Daughters And Relatives Of Former VP Atiku, IGP Arase, GMD Of NNPC, Minister Of Internal Affairs, Other Top Officials – SaharaReporters]

Shielding Corruption, Malfeasance

Plagiarism: Newspapers carried last year September that “President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that prompt and appropriate disciplinary action be taken against those responsible for a wrongful insertion in his speech delivered on September 8, 2016 at the launch of the “Change Begins with Me’’ campaign.” It was another smokescreen. No one was exposed for the crime and no one punished. [Plagiarism: Buhari to punish own official for plagiarising Obama in his ‘CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME’’ speech – Vanguard]

President Buhari came “under attack over reports suggesting his government may have deliberately doctored the latest report of the presidential arms audit panel. …At issue is the suspicion that the government may have removed the name of the Interior Minister, Abdulrahman Dambazau from the report to shield him from prosecution. Mr. Dambazau served as Chief of Army Staff from 2008 to 2010. … Some critics also believe the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, who served briefly as Director of Procurement, Defence Headquarters, from February until May 2014, should also have been indicted.” [Buhari under fire over arms panel’s exemption of Dambazau in latest probe report – PremiumTimes]

tun1

“An online media (Sahara Reporters) published a report on 20th September 2016, stating that officials of MTN gave a bribe of N500million to Alhaji Abba Kyari, to intervene and use his closeness to President Buhari, to influence the federal government to give MTN a safe landing. Worried by the allegation, the Presidency is said to have directed the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to investigate the allegation and come out with findings regarding the accusation.” Nothing has been done. [N500m MTN Bribery Allegation: Presidency orders probe of Abba Kyari – Vanguard]

Investigative paper, SaharaReporters uncovered in June of 2016 how Nigeria’s chief of army, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai owned properties worth millions in Dubai among others across the world. Nothing was ever done about this. [Revealed: Buhari’s Chief Of Army Staff, General Buratai, Wives Own Dubai Property – SaharaReporters]

tu

In March of last year, the Nigerian presidency announced the shuffling around of some officials over an embarrassing budget padding event. Till date no disciplinary action has been taken. Top officials like million-dollar-borehole Minister of power Tunde Fashola were involved in the padding and continue to be shielded by the presidency. [Nigeria Budget ‘Padding’ Scandal: Buhari Removes 184 Government Officials Allegedly Involved – IBTimes]

Secretary general of the federation, Babachir Lawal stands accused of corruption in the ranks of that of former NSA Dasuki with Senate investigations unveiling his ‘looting’ of millions of dollars for the development of the north east. Buhari continues to shield him. [N/East, IDP Money Diversion: Buhari Shielding Sgf Babachir Is Really Disheartening – PointBlankNews]

Murder 

The Buhari administration has been found guilty of mass murder of hundreds of Muslims in Kaduna and innocent Igbo protesters in Onitsha among other locations. The government in both cases has additionally been accused of mass secret burials to cover up these grave crimes. [Nigeria: Military Cover-up Of Mass Slaughter At Zaria Exposed – Amnesty International] [SPECIAL REPORT: How the Onitsha massacre of pro-Biafra supporters was coordinated — SSS operative – PremiumTimes]

Destruction of Judiciary: Contempt of Court

The Buhari government has destroyed the judiciary by intimidation and violation of court orders including several to release on bail, Igbo activist Nnamdi Kanu, former NAS Dasuki and Muslim leader Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat. Recently a court order warned the Director SSS and Attorney general of the Federation that they risked being sent to jail for remaining in contempt of court orders to release Zakzaky and his wife. [Release Sheikh Zakzaky, Zeenah or Be Imprisoned, Court Warns IGP, AGF, Director SSS [COURT LETTER] – NewsRescue]

Mismanaging the Economy

At the center of Nigeria’s broken economy is the crooked central bank governor, Godwin Emefiele who was at the center of the massive looting during the Jonathan era. Godwin Emefiele created channels with the cabal to chronically siphon Nigeria’s funds. Reuters recently reported how the Buhari government through Godwin Emefiele operate a cabal forex subsidy scam that transferred billions of dollars to the same old cabal. With oil prices consistently above the budget benchmark it is clear that Godwin’s forex policies and cabal forex-subsidy scam are at the center of the broken economy and valueless naira. [Africa’s richest man got a fistful of dollars in Nigerian currency squeeze – Reuters]

Godwin maintains a dual forex rate with one rate for the cabal and one for Nigeria to continue to siphon funds to his cabal coterie. This is at the center of the economic collapse. Former CBN governor, now Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi commented on this massive fraud to no avail. [Buhari Is Giving Cabal Billions Through Forex Subsidy, Creating Billonaires, Emir Sanusi Says – NewsRescue]

“Buhari himself said that he knew when the governor of the CBN picked a piece of paper and gave an instruction that N14bn should be withdrawn from the CBN and that money was withdrawn. That was nearly a year ago and up till today, Buhari is still retaining Emefiele as CBN governor,” Junaid Mohammed complained in the Punch. Buhari maintains Godwin Emefiele as CBN governor for unknown reasons. Some cite the distribution of juicy positions to Buhari’s family and others as reasons for his tolerance of the crooked apex bank governor. [Nepotism in Buhari’s govt, the worst in Nigeria’s history –Junaid Mohammed – Punch]

Elderly President Buhari unfortunately does not appear in good frame of health and mind to steer the affairs of Nigeria. As his wife and others have said, a cabal has seized the helms of the Nigerian government. We as a people must fight for our survival.

#IStandWithNigeria
#IstandWith2Baba
#OneVoiceNigeria

We protest from February 6th and onward…

Dr. Peregrino Brimah; @EveryNigerian