Another twist has been added to the ongoing presidential campaigns for the February 14 presidential elections, as the vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, yesterday accused President Goodluck Jonathan as the first and only Nigerian leader to have attended a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Countries, IOC.
Osinbajo disclosed this at an interactive session with professionals in Warri, Delta State, adding that those accusing Gen. Mohammadu Buhari of being a Muslim fundamentalist and campaigner of Islamisation of Nigeria are distorting history against this backdrop.
Osinbajo said, “Throughout his period as military head of state, Gen. Buhari was under intense pressure to drag Nigeria into the IOC, but he never yielded because he respects Nigeria as a secular state in line with the constitution. Besides, his cook and driver are Christians.
“When Gen. Babangida eventually dragged Nigeria into IOC a, none of the successors ever attended any of its meeting because they know to Islamise Nigeria is very difficult as you need to first get the constitution amended. That process, you know, is almost impossible.
“But it is on record that in 2013, President Jonathan, undermining the constitutional limitation, ensured that Nigeria attended an IOC meeting.”
While visiting the factional leader of the Urhobo Progressive Union, Chief Onoge, Osinbajo harped on the need for men of integrity to start leading Nigeria.
He told the Onoge’s UPU leadership: “We are aware of Ovwiamuge Declaration. APC is grateful that there are men of integrity like you who would still stick their necks out to stand on the side of integrity to uphold the truth in the face of mindless compromise.”
Osibanjo, who condemned stealing of public money, said stealing of public funds makes it impossible for government to work properly.
“We are not running a normal government. Resources are largely stolen. One billion from excess crude unaccounted for, which country in the world loses 400000b/d of oil daily? Only in Nigeria. No oil theft without official complicity. APC government will hold those with statutory responsibility responsible.”
“The Nigeria Army is not equipped. If you follow the mutiny trials, the soldiers are saying they are not equipped and government is saying four trillion on defense. There is no other army where you are trying the army who do not have guns. Twenty six per cent of Nigeria government is taken over by militia. You cannot have two centres of authority in one country. They must first deal with corruption in defense spending and poverty among the youths being recruited. It is a function of corruption.
“I have not heard of a proper audit of NDDC, NNPC, things are done on man know man basis, you put someone there and you don’t care if he does the job.”
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