ADDIS ABABA: Buhari Seeks Optimal Support Of The Judiciary On Corruption

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, reemphasized on the need for the cooperation of the judiciary in his administration’s fight against corruption in Nigeria saying that in line with the principles of democracy, the judiciary has a major role to play in ensuring that the epidemic which had kept the Africa’s most populous nation to a halt over the years is eradicated in no distant tijme.

The President made this position known in a town hall meeting with Nigerians in Diaspora, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia stated that his major challenge is the judiciary putting into considerations the technicalities and and judicial pronouncements even in very obvious situations adding that to the arm would be reformed in view of various obsolete laws so as to meet with the present days realities.

 “On the fight against corruption vis-à-vis the judiciary, Nigerians will be right to say that is my main headache for now.

“If you reflect on what I went through for 12 years when I wanted to be the President, I attempted three times and on the fourth attempt through God and the use of technology, it was possible for Nigerians to elect an APC candidate as President.

“In my first attempt in 2003, I ended up at the Supreme Court and for 13 months I was in court. The second attempt in 2007, I was in court close to 20 months and in 2011, my third attempt, I was also in court for nine months,” the President said.

In a related development, the President Buhari had ordered a review of several railway transport projects signed by the previous administration with the Chinese government, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, disclosed this information from Addis Ababa. According to the statement, the President who regretted that the previous agreement with Chinese government did not produce results, however, directed the Ministers of Transportation, Finance, Power, Works and Housing to revisit the agreements and explore ways of re-approaching the Chinese government for assistance adding that the Chinese government had indicated interest to assist Nigeria on project financing through its Export-Import Bank.

“The Chinese government was very generous to Nigeria on the projects signed with the previous government because they agreed to pay 85 per cent of the project. But the Nigerian government was unable to meet up with its counterpart funding of 15 per cent, so the Chinese government was unable to make any impact on the project,” he said.

On economy, the President regretted that the international oil market had collapsed which consequently has adverse effect on the country’s economy.