The ex-ministers, Sunday, in a statement by Abubakar Suleiman, former Minister of National
Planning, said “contrary to what the APC and its agents would rather have the public believe, the Jonathan administration did not encourage corruption, rather it fought corruption vigorously, within the context of the rule of law and due process.”
They mentioned some of the anti-corruption successes of the Jonathan administration to include the stop in billions of naira stolen under the subsidised government fertiliser scheme, the development of the Government Integrated Financial Management Platform, The Single Treasury Account (TSA), and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management Systems (IPPIS).
They said they were not afraid of being probed by the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which has vowed to ensure that all monies stolen from public purse in the last administration are returned and persons found guilty brought to book.
“We encourage President Buhari to continue with the probes, but this must be in strict accordance with his oath of office to treat all Nigerians equally and with the fear of God,” the former ministers said.
Read their full statement below:
GIVE JONATHAN ADMINISTRATION DUE CREDIT, FORMER MINISTERS TELL BUHARI
We, the Ministers who served under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, have watched with increasing alarm and concern the concerted effort by the Buhari administration and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to condemn, ridicule and undermine the efforts of that administration, in addition to impugning the integrity of its individual members.
While we concede that every administration has the right to chart it's own path as it deems fit, we nevertheless consider the vilification of the Jonathan administration, to be ill intentioned, unduly partisan, and in bad faith. The effort that has been made to portray each and every member of the Jonathan administration as corrupt and irresponsible, in an orchestrated and vicious trial by media, has created a lynch mentality that discredits our honest contributions to the growth and development of our beloved nation.
We are proud to have served Nigeria and we boldly affirm that we did so diligently and to the best of our abilities. The improvements that have been noticed today in the power sector, in national security, and in social services and other sectors did not occur overnight. They
are products of solid foundations laid by the same Jonathan administration.
Contrary to what the APC and its agents would rather have the public believe, the Jonathan administration did not encourage corruption, rather it fought corruption vigorously, within the context of the rule of law and due process. For the benefit of those who may have forgotten so soon, it was the Jonathan administration that got rid of the fraud in fertilizer subsidies, which had plagued the country for decades. This helped to unleash a revolution in agricultural production and productivity.
It was also the Jonathan administration that supported the institutional development of strong systems and mechanisms to curb corruption in the public service and plug revenue leakages. These included the development of the Government Integrated Financial Management Platform, The Single Treasury Account (TSA), and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management Systems (IPPIS), in addition to the biometric registration of civil servants
and pensioners which saved the country over N100 billion paid to ghost workers and ghost pensioners.
To ensure greater transparency and integrity in the oil and gas sector, the Jonathan administration ordered investigations and put mechanisms in place to check the theft of Nigeria’s crude oil. It was also under the Jonathan administration that a Nigerian Content policy was introduced, which opened up that sector to Nigerians in a manner that was not previously the case. It was also the Jonathan administration that mobilized and secured the support of our neighbouring countries to ensure a robust multinational response to the menace of terrorism and insurgency, resulting in notable advancements in the fight against terror. President Jonathan personally initiated the collaboration that led to these advancements and ensured that Nigeria provided the needed financial support for the Multinational Joint Task Force.
It was the Jonathan administration that repaired and rehabilitated over 25, 000 kilometres of our nation’s roads. Nigeria also became a profitable and preferred investment-friendly
destination. It was under President Jonathan, for example, that Nigeria’s electric power sector became more competitive and attractive to local and foreign investments.
The same administration promoted the rule of law, free speech, fundamental human rights, and a robust freedom of information regime. Women’s rights to participate in public life and the Federal Character principle as well as other Constitutional principles were also respected. In every respect, our administration promoted inclusive governance and encouraged all stakeholders including the private sector to play key roles in the transformation of Nigeria.
It should also not be forgotten that the Jonathan administration strengthened electoral institutions and created a peaceful environment for democracy to thrive. On this score, it is sad and ironic that the chief beneficiaries of that same legacy are the most vociferous today in condemning President Jonathan and his team. Perhaps the new administration and the APC would be sincere enough to publish the details of the hand over notes they received.
In addition, the Buhari administration should be fair enough to acknowledge the good works of the Jonathan administration.
No administration can be either completely bad or completely good. President Jonathan’s achievements in moving this country to greater heights deserve to be duly acknowledged. We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to build on these achievements.
We also urge him to press on with the anti-corruption fight, but in a fair and non-partisan manner, in line with due process, and not as a political witch-hunt.
The various lies and fabrications being peddled by some self-appointed spokespersons of the administration may entertain the unwary, but such sensationalism may achieve the unintended effect of de-marketing our country within the international community. All such persons playing to the gallery for whatever gains should be called to order.
The name-calling of members of the Jonathan administration and the trial by news media should also stop.
We encourage President Buhari to continue with the probes, but this must be in strict accordance with his oath of office to treat all Nigerians equally and with the fear of God.
We have reserved our comment until now, in the fervent hope that once the euphoria that may have inspired the various attacks on the past administration wears off, reason will prevail. But we are constrained to speak up in defence of the legacy of the Jonathan
administration, and shall do so again, for as long as those who are determined to rubbish that legacy, are unrelenting in their usual deployment of blackmail, persecution, and similar tactics.
Dr Abubakar O. Suleiman
Former Minister of National Planning
In a swift reaction President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday replied former Nigerian ministers who questioned the sincerity of his anti-corruption war, saying it is not intended to rubbish the name of anyone.
The ministers, who served in the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, had in a statement cautioned against selective anti-corruption war and warned against labelling the Jonathan government as corrupt.
In his response, Mr. Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, asked the country’s latest “trade union formation, the Association of Ex-Jonathan Ministers to do a bit of self-reflection on the sort of government they handed to President Muhammadu Buhari back in May to determine for themselves if it would have been right for any incoming government, not just this one to ignore the issue of the brazen theft of public assets, perhaps the first of its kind we have ever seen in this country”.
“Earlier statements made in this regard that there is no witch hunt or malice against anyone in the pursuit of the county’s stolen assets still stands” Shehu said in a statement, Sunday in Abuja.
He added that the war against corruption knows no friend nor foe, he said .
Mr. Shehu said there was no intention to deny anyone of their good name where they are entitled to it and that President Buhari reserves the highest regards for the country’s former leaders including Mr. Jonathan who he continues to praise for the way and manner in which he accepted defeat in the last election.
“For the purpose of emphasis, the issue of fighting corruption by President Buhari is non-negotiable. It is sine qua non to the overall reconstruction of the economy and social systems which suffered destruction and severe denigration under the last administration. President Buhari will not be deterred or blackmailed into retreat and surrender” he said.
He added that no one in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, can accuse President Buhari of undermining the economy when “all they handed over to him is at best, was a tottering economy hobbled by corruption and the absence of due process”.
He added that the situation in Nigeria has become worsened by the continuing fall of oil prices, which is expected to fall even further with the imminent full return of Iran to the global oil market. According to Mr. Shehu, all the president has been doing is to put things together,
organize to defeat Boko Haram, pay outstanding salaries, clean up the mess left behind, improve security and restore Nigeria’s relationships with neighbours and the world.
“So what are former ministers afraid of in these things? Have they become a new trade union?
“Let this collection of ex-VIPs allow the President the peace he needs to handle the reconstruction of the economy and the nation in a manner that most serves Nigeria’s best interests.
“President Buhari does not need these types of distraction presented by the so-called association of former ministers”.
(premium times)
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