The Presidency has said the President Muhammadu Buhari is not going to switch off his “broken record” of blaming Goodluck Jonathan for his government’s failures, but will continue to blame the 16-year rule of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Nigeria’s challenges.
Garba Shehu, a spokesperson to President Buhari, made a strong case for why Buhari continues to remain fixated on the past in an interview with Punch.
Shehu said it was important to talk about the mistakes of the past administration while finding solutions to them.
He added that another government will make reference to the present administration if it fails in its promises.
“I think making a reference to where we were coming from and the challenges we face today is legitimate. If the APC did anything wrong today, another government would talk about it in the future while working on solutions to the challenges it inherited,” Garba said.
“Every government should work hard to leave a legacy for which it can be remembered. If APC messes up, another government in the future would make reference to that mess. However, making a reference to the past does not automatically mean abdication of responsibility. You have to put everything into proper context. You have to give the Buhari administration credit for making a difference.
“The Buhari administration has made a huge difference in fighting corruption and recovered billions and trillions of naira. It is therefore, not correct to suggest that the government is doing nothing except blaming the PDP. President Buhari went after not only corrupt civilians, but also former military chiefs that abused their offices by diverting public funds. We have largely secured the country against terrorism and criminality and restructuring the economy for future prosperity.”
“If anyone thinks that they will derive pleasure by silencing our government over the 16-year misrule by PDP barely two years since they were kicked out of office, they should perish that thought. We will not give them that comfort. Very soon, there will be movies by independent producers reliving how the country pumped out two million barrels of oil, even on Sundays at an average of $100 for several years without anything to show for it,” he added.
