President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday alleged harassment of his person and administration by the Nigerian elite “despite our performance.”
He said that their criticisms often do not take into consideration where Nigeria was when he assumed office in 2015.
Speaking in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State after revalidating his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Buhari urged the elite to be ‘reflective’ in assessing him and the administration he leads.
“The problem is that I will like especially the elite to please be reflective. When we came, where we were, the resources available from them and the condition of the infrastructure,” Buhari said yesterday.
According to him, he was “compelled to go over it several times to tell Nigerians that between 1999 and 2014, let them check with the NNPC, let them check with the governor of Central Bank, production was 2.4 million barrels per day and the average cost was $100 per barrel.”
He added: “So for a year’s daily production, Nigeria would earn 2.4×100 dollars every day. But look at the condition of infrastructure. You know this better than I do.
“I know I went to every local government of the country in my three consecutive attempts to become the President. You know the roads more than I do. You know the condition of the rail; the railway is dead. Now look at it everywhere we go, what did they do with all these monies?
“When we took over the administration, production went down to about half a million barrels per day, the price collapsed. We had to do what is called a bailout, wherever we got the money from.
“Upon all the money from 1999 to 2014, we gave out money from the centre to pay salaries. No, Nigerian elite are not interested in rating the competence but they are interested in harassing us with all efforts we are making.
“You, who are in the field in charge of your constituencies, you have to make efforts to convince the elite to please give us the due relevance and respect we deserve that we are working so hard with limited resources.”
Implementation of 2021 Budget
President Buhari pledged that the 2021 Budget would be implemented to the letter.
The budget, according to him, aptly captured some of the visions of the administration, and all efforts would be poured in to ensure its effective implementation.
He said the budget would be implemented with all transparency and openness in meeting the targets.
He hailed the National Assembly for the effective and detailed attention before its passage.
He said: “We have directed all the ministries, departments and agencies to follow what is in the budget so that we can get the National Assembly to easily support the next budget. We can tell them what we have received and how it was spent.
“We are always ready to make the balance sheet available for all Nigerians and the National Assembly. We have nothing to hide.’’
President Buhari said the administration had given more attention to agriculture in order to diversify and strengthen the economy.
He thanked Morocco for “the support they gave us in producing fertilizer in the country. We have 42 companies producing fertiliser in six geopolitical zones.’’