President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday hinted of his administration’s resolve to recover the $16 billion alleged wasted on the power sector during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo
“Where is the power? Where is the money?” the President queried at the Oxbow Lake Pavilion, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, during the presidential campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said his administration will go after all those involved in the power deals to recover the money and continue with the ongoing development of critical infrastructure for the common good.
Buhari said this on Tuesday at the Byelsa State APC presidential rally.
President Buhari, who is seeking another term on the APC’s ticket, at the Government House heliport in Yenagoa, was received by Governor Seriake Dickson, his deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah, Information & Orientation Commissioner Daniel Iworiso-Markson, and other exco members.
He said: “You know we are building roads; the railway was virtually killed; we are rebuilding it and there was no power; we are bringing power back. The previous government mentioned on their own that they spent $16 billion for power.
“But you are better witnesses than myself; where is the power? Where is the money? We will follow them and eventually, God willing we will get them and we will get our money back.”
The President promised that the APC administration under him will continue to tackle seriously security, economy, infrastructure and corruption.
He said: “We are also promising that we will make people who occupy executive positions both in federal and state levels to be accountable to the people. If you could recall when I came in 2015 under our great party, the party articulated three issues on which we campaigned and were voted in.
“These are security, economy and fighting corruption. On security, the people of the Northeast are the biggest witnesses of what we achieved because when we came, at least 17 local governments were under Boko Haram. As I speak now, none is under them. But they resorted to train the young men and women, wrap them up with explosives and ask them to explode it in churches, mosques, market places and in motor parks. That is even rare now.
“On economy, when we came in we had very high importation of food stuff. We thank God that in the three previous raining seasons,we realised bountiful harvests. The government’s contribution was to make fertiliser and other agricultural inputs available. That took away many able-bodied persons out of unemployment.
“On fighting corruption, under this system, it is very difficult. But I keep mentioning wherever I go that all those who have account to give should prepare to account for it. Those that are indicted were taken before the court and a number of them are in jail and a number of their properties had been taken away to be sold and put in the treasury to continue with infrastructure.”
