In an interview conducted with the Vanguard, Edo state chieftain of the APC, Chief Francis Inegbeniki speaks on the President and why he’s the right fit for the country. He also talks about how the implementation of the 2016 budget will change how his critics view him.
When asked how he would assess a year of the President’s rule, he answered that it was a positive year and that Buhari had been excellent even with some of the crisis being faced at the moment.
“I will score him excellent despite the situation we are facing now. We all know that one year is not enough to assess the performance of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, particularly when the budget has not been signed. However, it is obvious that the President has made some significant progress.”
Chief Inegbeniki also noted that Buhari had inherited a corrupt and broken system in which funds were mismanaged and the people suffered. He said “Imagine funds meant for projects and certain purposes were diverted into the pockets of individuals, marketers who supplied petroleum products were not paid resulting in the fuel scarcity we are experiencing now. It was a system that never planned for the future of Nigerians and the country.
“Since Buhari assumed office a year ago, the President has been doing everything possible to restore the dignity of Nigeria as a country by fighting corruption which is the major problem facing Nigeria today. This is one major area that the President has done well.
“When President Buhari promised to fight corruption, many never believed what he was saying, but from what we are seeing today, the various shocking revelations how government officials in the last administration looted the resources of this country, the people now have confidence in the President, and trust whatever he will do to transform the country.
“And because the President is genuinely fighting corruption as he promised, even those who looted the funds suddenly realized that they betrayed the country and what they did was wrong, so they started returning the funds.”
Chief Inegbeniki was asked about Buhari’s detractors and those who have accused the President of non-performance. Chief Inegbeniki answered that the only people who would criticize Buhari are those who benefited from the broken system and that was their only way to fight back.
He also claimed that the implementation of the as yet unsigned 2016 budget would change the flow and that critics will become fans.
“I can assure you that when the President starts implementing the 2016 budget, most of the people criticizing him now would turn around to praise him and in the next few months, Nigerians would enjoy the promised change.”
He was also asked about the agenda of the President for the Niger Delta region and the rumors that he doesn’t have any solid plans for the region. The APC chieftain denied the rumors and praised President Buhari’s proposed plans for the region. He intimated that the 2016 budget allocated funds to agencies geared towards change in the region and that the development of the Niger Delta was going to happen.