...Dares EFCC to convict him By Myke Uzendu, Abujal Frontline Presidential hopeful on the platform of People's Democratic Party (PDP) Gov. Bala Mohammed has disclosed that most of the borrowings of the present administration is going into private pockets but pledges to put the trend to a halt if he emerges as the next President of Nigeria.
The Bauchi State governor made the revelation on Tuesday night in Abuja when he met with forum of PDP former Ministers.
The aspirant lamented that the Buhari administration had continued to recklessly borrow from China even as the country is endowed with several untapped resources. He said that even revenue from the oil sector which supposed to be the mainstay of the nation's wealth is recklessly mismanaged.
He said, "We are going to have a knowledge driven presidency. We are not going to be borrowing recklessly. We have done it in the FCT and I'm doing it in Bauchi, leveraging on small resources, having correct procurement process and managing scarcity was sagacity. The audacity of knowledge of using the best, not looking at China as if it is a freefall for resources, the resources are here in Nigeria.
"All these monies were taking is going into private pockets. Our solid minerals have not been exploited, even our oil resources that we are dependent on is being plundered, everybody knows that and we have to find a solution. We have destroyed ourselves by creating perception, we the elites, causing ourselves a lot of injury, name calling in the name of investigation, investigation that is selfish and skewed towards pursuing perceived political enemies.
"We will do justice and equity in this country. We will open up and become accessible. We will access our resources in this country very well. We have to dippen M and E in a manner that we will know what is going everywhere in the MDAs, we will not just sit in the Oval Office and be wearing beautiful shoes and good caps, we will have to come out and supervise".
Gov. Mohammed assured that he is not a personality beclouded by regional, ethnic and religious hood saying that his administration will breakdown all ethnic and religious fences. "I cannot be a regionalist or a sectional person.
"I'm not going to be a northern president, or a Muslim Fulani president or a minority president. I am going to be the Nigerian President who understands the nuances, the norms and the feelings of Nigerians because I have touched them. I have worked with them. I have understood them. And after understanding them, I know what Nigerians want. What they need is good governance, justice and equity.
The Bauchi governor said that he is in touch with the aspirants from the South and that they are working on consensus. He stressed that consensus was not a Nothern agenda and pledged to support and work with whoever emerges as a consensus candidate.
"We have agreed now within ourselves for consensus, but this is even going beyond us. We have reached out to all the aspirants and the governors in the house because it's about getting the best, it is about demphasizing zoning, sectionalism and so on and so forth.
"It is not just about me trying to be there let us reduce acrimony, division and rancour. At that time you remember, most of the aspirants were from the North. We're not doing a regional thing. You know where I'm coming from. I spoke for the south at the Senate, at that time, nobody could speak about it and that is what brought me here.
"And of course, I have to say this for you to understand, because as cabinet members, we are all detribalized. Yes, we have our micro constituency interests but sadly my aspiration is not inimical to any sectional or insensitive to the aspiration of other sections of the country. They are free to do it and when they emerge, I'm ready to support them. 100%. I'm a Democrat".
He also said that he will quit the race if President Goodluck Jonathan joins the race in any party.
"You remember I told you all that if our boss, President Jonathan is running I will not run not because I'm inferior but because of loyalty. I came to national limelight through him and I believe he has done so much. And I said that in any party, even if he's running in APGA or anywhere I will not run because I will not be joining issues with him. But sadly I am PDP, I'm not going anywhere".
The aspirant who also met with members of PDP National Working Committee (NWC) on Wednesday at the PDP headquarters challenged anti-graft agencies to convict him if they are able to unearth any financial malfeseance linking him.
"When we lost the election. I passed through a lot of investigation. I consider these aspects as part of accountability. I don't bear any malice against anybody who investigated me. But I dare anybody to find me guilty, because I know my conscience and that's why I'm still standing here. I dare every investigative agency, I did my best. But I'm a human. I'm not infallible".
Responding, PDP National chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu assured the aspirant that the NWC does not have any favourite among the 17 aspirants that have so far declared interest in the Presidential race. He said that all the aspirants are eminently qualified but assured that there will be a level playing field for all the aspirants to realise their ambition.
"We shall provide a level playing field as we have always done in our party, conventions will be absolutely transparent. There will be no manipulations, no shortcuts so that at the end of the day, whoever loses, will feel that he lost fairly and transparently and whoever wins will know that he had the genuine support of PDP people across the 36 states plus Abuja.
"So I want to assure you that we will do everything possible to provide a level playing field to make sure that our primaries right from the ward level through the local governments and the states and up to the National Convention, which will hopefully be next month will be completely transparent" Ayu said.
