As part of activities to mark his one year in office, President Muhammadu Buhari hosted members of the State House Correspondents to an anniversary lunch during which he put the challenge to the journalists to always thoroughly investigate stories related to crime in order to foster accurate and factual reportage.
Accuracy in reporting, Buhari said, would ensure that members of the public have a better understanding and appreciation of issues such as criminal acts.
According to him, “How do you define change? Luckily, our party identified three major items; security, economy and corruption.
“When you want to interrogate our visitors try and do some research so that when they are coming next time, they will do research themselves,” he said.
The President noted his administration’s efforts to get the international community’s support towards full recovery of the diverted 2.1 billion dollars meant for purchase of military hardware to fight insurgency. The funds, he said, were released to officials who were trusted to use them judiciously, but rather than deliver on the trust reposed on them, these individuals deliberately diverted the funds.
“They just sat, just the way you are sitting now, and shared the money into their own account. They didn’t even bother. So we are still trying to get the cooperation of the international community and we have to do it with a lot of respect to the judiciary,” Buhari said.
Allowing the judicial process to take its full course was crucial in order to avoid the “technicalities” that may arise from interference in the anti-corruption fight said the President.
The President also reiterated his admiration for former President Goodluck Jonathan in the manner in which he accepted defeat at the last general election.
“He called me at a quarter past five in the evening. He said “Good evening, your Excellency Sir,” and I said “Good evening.” He said “I have called to congratulate you that I have conceded defeat.” Of course there was dead silence on my end because I did not expect it. I was shocked.
“For him to have conceded defeat even before the result was announced by INEC, I think it was quite generous and gracious of him. So, I thank him for that.”
The President expressed his regrets that the passing of the 2016 budgets dragged for so long describing it as “a nasty experience for us.” He noted that it was the first time he was hearing about the word “padding”.
Kehinde Amodu, Chairman of the State House Press Corps, commended the President for his support and showing more understanding in his dealings with members of the corps.
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