Being a paper presented by Concerned Nigerian Professionals and Entrepreneurs Forum at a zonal town hall meeting in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. The paper ascertains some important questions on major issues Nigearians will want the presidential candidates of the PDP and APC to answer.
PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (PDP)
1. Corruption has assumed an endemic proportion in Nigeria and your party has promised to substantially reduce it. You have also promised to develop and promote the mechanism, structures and institutions for identifying and bringing corrupt people to justice. Many Nigerians are however, concerned about the workability of your approach, saying: During your tenure as President the ex-CBN Governor alleged that the sum of US $20 billion was unaccounted for by NNPC.
• Perpetrators of a N32.8 billion scam in the administration of pension scheme were fined N750, 000 only and given the option of serving two years in jail by the judicial process. There is no record to show your disapproval of this apparent slap on the wrist.
• You granted a state pardon to a former governor that was convicted and jailed for corruption. This caused an outrage across the country.
• Petrol subsidy scam, unveiled in 2013 and running to billions of Naira was seen by many as an opportunity for your government to stand firm against corruption. The perpetrators of these acts are still roaming our streets, flaunting their ill-gotten wealth.
• Another ex-CBN Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, recently pointed fingers on officials of your administration for mismanagement of N30.0 trillion.
• From the above, do you sincerely see yourself as doing enough to tame corruption in Nigeria?
•What do you have against the use of force to decapitate the monster and make Nigerians shed their appetite for corruption?
• Perpetrators of a N32.8 billion scam in the administration of pension scheme were fined N750, 000 only and given the option of serving two years in jail by the judicial process. There is no record to show your disapproval of this apparent slap on the wrist.
• You granted a state pardon to a former governor that was convicted and jailed for corruption. This caused an outrage across the country.
• Petrol subsidy scam, unveiled in 2013 and running to billions of Naira was seen by many as an opportunity for your government to stand firm against corruption. The perpetrators of these acts are still roaming our streets, flaunting their ill-gotten wealth.
• Another ex-CBN Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, recently pointed fingers on officials of your administration for mismanagement of N30.0 trillion.
• From the above, do you sincerely see yourself as doing enough to tame corruption in Nigeria?
•What do you have against the use of force to decapitate the monster and make Nigerians shed their appetite for corruption?
2. Terrorism has caused the death of thousands of Nigerians while close to two million people have been displaced. Herdsmen and farmers clash on daily basis and thousands more are killed. Experts have linked these twin evil phenomenon to global warming, whose manifestation is desert encroachment and the near disappearance of Lake Chad, which has in turn created millions of farming and fishing job losses in addition to mass movement of cattle southwards in search of green pasture. The situation has been rightly described as a national calamity through which cheap
labour is supplied to wicked insurgency elements.
• What are your plans to mitigate global warming and put an end to pervasive job losses fueling insurgency?
• How would you turn around such a national calamity to the advantage of Nigerians?
labour is supplied to wicked insurgency elements.
• What are your plans to mitigate global warming and put an end to pervasive job losses fueling insurgency?
• How would you turn around such a national calamity to the advantage of Nigerians?
3. The national conference, among other things, has called for the restructuring of the country along the six geo-political zones, increase in derivation, true federalism which allows the constituents to grow at their own pace and State police. It has also recommended: A cut in the allocation of the Federal Government revenue from 58 per cent
to 42.5 per cent; Reduction of ministerial positions from 36 to 18 on the basis of geo-political representation; Scrapping of local government as the third-tier of governance; Part-time legislature, etc and independent candidacy, etc, all of which is designed to reduce corruption and the high cost of governance.
•How will you respond to these and other important recommendations
of the National Confab?
to 42.5 per cent; Reduction of ministerial positions from 36 to 18 on the basis of geo-political representation; Scrapping of local government as the third-tier of governance; Part-time legislature, etc and independent candidacy, etc, all of which is designed to reduce corruption and the high cost of governance.
•How will you respond to these and other important recommendations
of the National Confab?
4. With an eye on the nation’s economic revival and social regeneration, your party commits to the expansion of key poverty reduction measures by developing strategies for wealth creation, employment generation, promotion of entrepreneurship, and to sustain the private sector-led economic growth strategy, towards becoming one of the largest economies in the world by 2020: Provide plans, tasks and targets and how you intend to fund the programmes considering the dwindling revenue accruing from petroleum.
MUHAMMADU BUHARI (APC)
1. Corruption has assumed an endemic proportion in Nigeria and your party has promised to eradicate it. Many Nigerians are however, concerned about the prospects and possibilities of a successful outcome because: During your tenure as Minister of Petroleum Resources the sum of US $2.8billion was alleged to have been removed from the account of NNPC; You were a prominent figure of the Abacha regime known to have perpetrated the worst form of corruption in Nigeria. As proof of that regime’s corrupt practices, billions of money has been returned to Nigeria; As chairman of PTF, you were alleged to have outsourced your responsibilities to a Consulting firm, Messrs Afriprojects, who was alleged to have been indicted for over-invoicing and the mismanagement of N25billion; Contrary to prevailing rules and regulations, you were alleged to have allowed 53 suites cases into the country without having their contents checked; Prominent leaders of your party are presently facing corruption charges while the source of the stupendous wealth of many of those who surround you is said to be questionable.
• With all of the above, do you still consider yourself the best advocate of anti-corruption in Nigeria? If yes, what are your plans for taming the monster of corruption, beginning from your own party?
• What do you have against creating mechanisms and permanent structures to tame the monster of corruption?
1. Corruption has assumed an endemic proportion in Nigeria and your party has promised to eradicate it. Many Nigerians are however, concerned about the prospects and possibilities of a successful outcome because: During your tenure as Minister of Petroleum Resources the sum of US $2.8billion was alleged to have been removed from the account of NNPC; You were a prominent figure of the Abacha regime known to have perpetrated the worst form of corruption in Nigeria. As proof of that regime’s corrupt practices, billions of money has been returned to Nigeria; As chairman of PTF, you were alleged to have outsourced your responsibilities to a Consulting firm, Messrs Afriprojects, who was alleged to have been indicted for over-invoicing and the mismanagement of N25billion; Contrary to prevailing rules and regulations, you were alleged to have allowed 53 suites cases into the country without having their contents checked; Prominent leaders of your party are presently facing corruption charges while the source of the stupendous wealth of many of those who surround you is said to be questionable.
• With all of the above, do you still consider yourself the best advocate of anti-corruption in Nigeria? If yes, what are your plans for taming the monster of corruption, beginning from your own party?
• What do you have against creating mechanisms and permanent structures to tame the monster of corruption?
2. Terrorism has caused the death of thousands of Nigerians while close to two million people have been displaced. Herdsmen and farmers clash on daily basis and thousands more are killed. Experts have linked these twin evil phenomenon to global warming, whose manifestation is desert encroachment and the near disappearance of Lake Chad which has in turn created millions of farming and fishing job losses in addition to mass movement of cattle southwards in search of green pasture. The situation has been rightly described as a national calamity through which cheap labour is supplied to wicked insurgency elements.
• What are your plans to mitigate global warming and put an end to pervasive job losses fuelling insurgency?
• What are your plans for turning around such a national calamity to the advantage of Nigerians?
• What are your plans to mitigate global warming and put an end to pervasive job losses fuelling insurgency?
• What are your plans for turning around such a national calamity to the advantage of Nigerians?
3. The national conference, among other things, has called for the restructuring of the country along the six geo-political zones, increase in derivation, true federalism which allows the constituents to grow at their own pace and State police. It has also recommended: A cut in the allocation of the Federal Government revenue from 58 per cent to 42.5 per cent; Reduction of ministerial positions from 36 to 18 on the basis of geo-political representation; Scrapping of local government as the third-tier of governance; Part-time legislature, etc. and independent candidacy, etc. All of which will be helpful to reduce corruption and the high cost of governance.
• How will you respond to these and other important recommendations of the National Confab?
• How will you respond to these and other important recommendations of the National Confab?
4. Experts have suggested that Nigeria harbours one of the largest concentration
of poor people in the world while pervasive joblessness is around 40 per cent of the population, out of which about 70 per cent are restive youths. Furthermore, women
who constitute a critical mass of productive resource were overlooked when you
were Head of State some 30 years ago.
• What are your plans for ameliorating the condition of the poor and for reducing unemployment?
• What plan do you have to place women in their rightful positions, given a second chance?
of poor people in the world while pervasive joblessness is around 40 per cent of the population, out of which about 70 per cent are restive youths. Furthermore, women
who constitute a critical mass of productive resource were overlooked when you
were Head of State some 30 years ago.
• What are your plans for ameliorating the condition of the poor and for reducing unemployment?
• What plan do you have to place women in their rightful positions, given a second chance?
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