*Explains how leadership complicated herders, farmers clashes
*Commends members of government, lists jobs in progress
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Buhari said, “I believe I was about the only African amongst the least developed countries that the President of the United States invited and when I was in his office, only myself and himself, only God is a witness, he looked at me in the face and said, ‘Why are you killing Christians?’ I wondered if it were you, I wondered how you will react. I hope what I was feeling inside did not betray me before him. So, I understood it. The problem between cattle-rearers and stagnant farmers, I know which is older than me, not to talk of him, because I think I’m a couple of years older than him (Trump), were happening. And there was climate change and population growth.”
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said Nigerian elites should judge his administration with fairness.
The President said this outside his prepared addressing at the closing of the first-year ministerial performance review retreat held in Abuja.
“I want the Nigerian elites, please encourage them, to judge us fairly,” Buhari said, arguing that his administration has done more for the country with less resources.
He said the average production of oil in the country, from 1999 to 2014, was 2.1 million barrels per day sold at an average price of $100.
“When we came, it collapsed to $37, $38 per barrel, you know it. And the militants were unleashed on the administration, and the production went down to half a million barrels per day.
“I want you to please reflect, what was the condition of the infrastructure then, in spite of those earnings. The roads, the rail is dead and there was no power, up till now no power; where does the money go?”
The President said he was doing his best to fight corruption by “trying to follow the system” in contrast to his brief military regime in 1984 when he arbitrarily rounded up corrupt politicians, threw them in jail, and required them to prove their innocence.
Now “I’m being called ‘baba go slow’,” he said.
The President also addressed the long-running conflict between cattle rearers and farmers, blaming past leaders who encroached cattle routes during which he veered to recalling how elites went ahead and misrepresented the situation on ground to the international communities including United States.
President Buhari said when he was alone one-on-one with the President Donald Trump inside his office in the White House, he was asked “why are you killing Christians?”
The Nigerian Leader said he tried to explain that the conflict had nothing to do with ethnicity or religion but a failure of leadership.
Speaking Ministerial Performance Review Retreat of his second term, the President said he was the only African amongst the least developed countries that the President of the United States invited in the White House and that he was asked why, according to Trump, he was killing Christians in Nigeria, a question generally believed to be informed by series of misinformation the American Government was getting from members of the Nigerian elitic community including political and religious bodies with vested interest in the country.
Buhari said, “I believe I was about the only African amongst the least developed countries that the President of the United States invited and when I was in his office, only myself and himself, only God is a witness, he looked at me in the face and said, ‘Why are you killing Christians?’
“I wondered if it were you, I wondered how you will react. I hope what I was feeling inside did not betray me before him. So, I understood it.
“The problem between cattle-rearers and stagnant farmers, I know which is older than me, not to talk of him, because I think I’m a couple of years older than him (Trump), were happening. And there was climate change and population growth.
“I tried to explain to him that it has got nothing to do with ethnicity or religion. It is a cultural thing which respective leaderships failed the nation.”
In Abuja President Buhari said, “The First Republic leadership is the most irresponsible set of leadership we’ve ever had,” he said.
“I asked the Minister of Agriculture to get a gazette of the early sixties, which delineated the cattle routes, the grazing areas.
“So any cattle rearer that allows his cattle to go to somebody’s farm is arrested, taken before a court. The farmer is called to submit his bill. And if the cattle rearer cannot pay, his cattle are sold.
“But subsequent leaders encroached on the cattle routes, took over the cattle areas.”
In his prepared address he said, “Distinguished participants, the discussions at the retreat have revealed that our country has what it takes to weather through the storms of contemporary challenges.
“Within these few days we have examined the numerous policies, programmes and projects the Administration has embarked upon which are targeted at lifting our people from the shackles of poverty, protect their lives and properties and ensure equitable distribution of the nation’s wealth.
“We aim to gradually close the gap between the different classes to bring joy to a greater number of the citizens.
“I am glad that these policies, programmes and projects have recorded appreciable successes. Our renewed vigor on agriculture has been demonstrated through our Anchor Borrowers Programme and the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative.
“We have made progress on the railway projects with a view to connecting different parts of the country. The Lagos-Ibadan rail line is up and working. The Abuja-Kaduna rail line is efficiently running.
“Arrangements are being made to complete the Ibadan – Kano, commence the Port Harcourt – Maiduguri line which will connect the Southern and Eastern States to the Northern States.
“Work is ongoing at the 2nd Niger Bridge and is at 46% completion. We hope to commission the project before the end of our tenure in 2023.
“Several contracts have been awarded to rehabilitate, reconstruct and construct our arterial roads, to reduce the hardship to commuters and increase economic activities across the States.
“We have flagged off the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project which is being developed at this critical time in Nigeria’s commitment to increasing our infrastructure assets and promote the use of gas in the domestic market.
“Our anticorruption fight requires no emphasis. We have made consistent efforts to build strong institutional capacities in the fight against corruption by strengthening our anti-corruption Agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, the Code of Conduct Bureau and Code of Conduct Tribunal supported by a Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, such that they work independently and jointly,
being guided by Law.
“We have also worked to address emergent cases of insecurity and insurgency in the country with innovative approaches such as “Operation Safe Corridor,” which de-radicalize, rehabilitate, and reintegrate willingly surrendered Boko Haram members into the larger society. Our security operations in the Niger Delta, North Central and North Western States are yielding desired results. We hope to get rid of bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements in these regions.
“The advent of COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant negative effect is being addressed through the constitution of a Presidential Task Force for proper coordination and the launch of the 12-month Economic Sustainability Plan to cushion the effect of the pandemic on our citizens and business owners.
“Your Excellencies, Distinguished participants, I am confident that the lessons we have learned in the last one year of implementation of policies, programmes and projects, deliberations and resolutions from the different sessions, and experience sharing from various speakers will serve as the needed tool to propel every Ministry to the next level of achievement.
“More importantly, the trust reposed in us by Nigerians remains the ultimate driving force. We cannot afford to lose focus, regardless of the challenges. Our eyes must therefore remain fixed on the ultimate
goal,” President Buhari told participants during the event.
From Left: President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on the walk-corridor to the Ministerial Review Retreat of his second term, in State House Abuja, on Tuesday 8th September 2020.
