A former Head of State, Major-General
Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has said the appalling state of Nigeria and the
hardship of the citizens in the midst of abundance compelled him to
weep openly for the nation in 2011.
Buhari said this while addressing
journalists during his visit to the headquarters of his political party,
the Congress for Progressive Change at Utako in Abuja on Thursday.
Buhari, who was the CPC’s presidential
candidate in the 2011 election, said he wept when he looked at the way
the country was blessed by God, but its citizens were poor.
He said, “This is a country that is
well-blessed both materially and otherwise. God has blessed us more than
we expected. We have so much land for agriculture.
“But majority of Nigerians can’t send
their children to school, can’t afford medicine for their children, and
no potable water to drink. Where does the money go to?
“This was why I broke down when I was rounding off up my presidential campaign in 2011.”
Buhari added that he became a democrat
when the old Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, a development he said
changed his political belief.
“That was the time I became a democrat
because I believed that democratic system is superior to any form of
governance. Otherwise how can an empire collapse like that,” he said.
He took a swipe at the one year old regime of President Goodluck Jonathan and declared that the country was retrogressing.
He argued that with the level of
corruption in the country and the poverty level of majority of
Nigerians, there was nothing to show that the country was moving
forward.
Buhari said, “From the level of exporter
we have moved to the level of importer of oil? Are you surprised? All
the infrastructure were allowed to die and decay.
“And now they say they want to remove
subsidy. I was there when the refineries were built with Nigeria money
and we didn’t borrow any kobo to do that.
“Now we have ended up buying fuel from
the world market. I believe that God will punish those who have
perpetuate corruption in this country and put us where we are today.
“I think we are reversing. With what is
happening in the petroleum industry and all the corruption, we are
reversing. You know about the pension scam?”
