‘APC has fulfilled its campaign promises,’ Minister says

Mohammed made the comment as an assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance in one year of office.

“It (one year in office) has been very challenging, very fulfilling, but I must say with all sense of modesty that we have fulfilled our pledges,” he told Channels Television.

“We campaigned majorly on three issues: insecurity, fighting corruption and revamping the economy, and I can say again with all sense of modesty that we have fought Boko Haram to a standstill; we have launched a campaign against corruption with the change narrative, and we are taking steps to revamp the economy.

“Let me take the issue of fighting insecurity. Nigeria was bedeviled with various types of insecurity ranging from cattle rustling to kidnapping for ransom to Boko Haram but clearly the most challenging when we took over was the menace of the Boko Haram.

“When we came into office on May 29, 2015, Boko Haram was hoisting its flag in many parts of Nigeria, they had their own system of government, their own caliphate but we have been able to chase them out of those places and even the remaining fortress, which is the Sambisa forest. Today, we’ve maintained a bombardment in that area and if anybody wants to know what we’ve achieved in the last 12 months in the fight against Bokoro Haram, then they must look at what it was before and what it is today.

“Today all the highways leading to Maiduguri have been re-opened. A month ago, a league match was played in Maiduguri and that is evidence that normal life is returning there. But this didn’t come by chance; it came as a result of the dedicated and committed leadership of President Buhari.

“Whatever emphasis you put on fighting corruption can never be misplaced because if you see the major problems facing us today, they can all be traced directly to corruption. It is because of corruption that Boko Haram lasted so long. Money meant to fight Boko Haram was shared and that was what led many innocent Nigerians to their untimely graves.

“It is because of corruption that Nigerians are relying more on generators than on conventional power because after billions of naira was allegedly pumped into the power sector, what we see is darkness. Before now, we used to celebrate corruption at least if not anything, Nigerians no longer celebrate corruption. Now, again, if you look at the way we have addressed the issue of corruption, it is not to vilify anybody.

“We never set out to probe PDP campaign funds. No, it is not our business. It is INEC that has the right to probe the campaign fund of any political party. But we set out to find out why the Boko Haram insurgency lasted for so long. How come our gallant soldiers were running away from a ragtag army?

“How come there was so much mutiny within the army? Why were wives of the soldiers protesting that their husbands would not go to the war font? This was what we set out to probe, and then we stumbled on the fact that actually what happened was that when a $2.1 billion contract was given, rather than use the money to buy arms and ammunition, provide for the welfare of soldiers, they were used for political purposes.

“The interesting thing about this $2.1 billion is that not one person accused of sharing in this loot has denied it, instead they have given excuses why they took the money. One claimed that he took the money for spiritual purpose, another claimed he used N3.1 billion for publicity, another said he was asked to go and buy a land for maritime university for N13 billion. So far, no one has denied partaking of this money,” he added.

Buhari recently said that he pities Lai Mohammeddue to his job which bestows on his the responsibility of explaining the government’s actions and inactions to the people.