Former close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, Buba Galadima, has criticised the President’s recent national honours and awards to some Nigerians.
According to Galadima, 440 of the 470 award recipients should be imprisoned due to “doubtful characters.”
Galadima made the claim during an interview on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Friday.
He said, “Let me tell you, of the 447 people that were given these national awards, I think 440 of them need to be in prisons rather than parading themselves as people who deserved an honour. Of what purpose is the honour? What is an honour for some of these people?
“It is a reward for the boys and you know Muhammadu Buhari himself has severally accused Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, late president Musa Yar’Ádua and Goodluck Jonathan of giving awards, medals and national honours to people of doubtful characters.
“When you say Buba Galadinma, did you use engineer, Alhaji or whatsoever? I have never taken a chieftaincy title and even the Galadima, if I have my way and if not that it is on my school certificates from primary to university level, I could have dropped the word (Galadima) because that is a traditional title and I don’t need it,” he said.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP chieftain further stated, “Who is it among those that he gave these national honours have impeccable characters? for me, these awards should be given to people who have retired with unblemished careers and have not been followed by either ICPC or EFCC.
“Better still, be given to those who died in national service. I will rather give it to a cook that knows how to cook better than give it to a recharge card seller turned trillionaire and that is my view,” he added.
Recall that Buhari conferred national honours on 447 Nigerians, tagged “Friends of Nigeria” on Tuesday.
Recipients of the national awards also included living and deceased Nigerians and “Foreigners.”