A former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, on Saturday said President Muhammadu Buhari had demonstrated high level of integrity in piloting the affairs of the country.
Ojikutu who spoke with newsmen in Lagos, said that the president was doing his best to put Nigeria back on the track of honour and progress with transparent leadership and a fierce anti-graft war.
“It is unfortunate that in spite of the president’s sincere efforts to advance the country’s development, some powerful Nigerians were hell-bent on stopping his re-election in 2019,’’ she said.
Ojikutu alleged that the main grouse of the forces was that they could no longer do business as usual under Buhari as they were used to cutting corners to corruptly enrich themselves.
She added that these `corrupt elements’ believed that their interests would be further hurt by Buhari’s emergence in 2019, hence resorting to `dangerously desperate’ political actions to stop him.
“The drums are beating; the polity is heating and the corrupt are at work. Everybody is afraid that with Buhari continuing, whatever he or she has done will be eventually exposed.
“Even some around the president are not saints because they are tainted too. So deep down them, they know Buhari’s emergence means trouble.
“We have a president with integrity, who has tried to make things work and who is still trying to make things work,’’ Ojikutu said.
According to her, some people believe they are not making it under Buhari and that they will stop at nothing to stop him.
“In what way are they not making money?
“Because they had been used to a system in which things were not done right.
“I have been told to my face that “Madam, you have been nominated for so, so, so and so but people objected that your coming will be their nemesis because you won’t play ball.
“Why must we play ball before we can make it in this country? These people are heating up the whole place just because it is no more business as usual and for that, they want to stop him in 2019,” she said.
Ojikutu said the desperate way in which politicians were going about their ambition was a threat to the peace and unity of the country.
She added that the do-or-die politics currently being played by some political leaders was creating a semblance of uncertainty about 2019.
Ojikutu urged political leaders to remember that they do not have another country besides Nigeria and that an atmosphere of chaos profits no one.
She called for the creation of Truth, Restitution and Recovery Commission to serve as a platform for political leaders to discuss the way forward for the country and give account of their past deeds.
Ojikutu said those who had corruptly enriched themselves could also return whatever they had taken from the country through the commission.
She said that South Africa did a similar thing immediately after Apartheid and that the commission helped to heal old wounds and strengthen unity in that country.
On the 2019 elections, Ojikutu urged Nigerians to vote wisely as those who had looted the country in the past were now parading themselves as Messiahs.
The former deputy governor expressed the belief that Buhari would address challenges in the economy if re-elected, saying his administration was working hard to correct the mistakes of the past. (NAN)