Former Head of State and Presidential Candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 general elections General Muhammadu Buhari has criticized the regimes of General Ibrahim Babangida and Olusegun Obasanjo as well as the present administration of Goodluck
Jonathan for the corruption that permeated the country's petroleum sector, saying it was so because "they had the mind of cheating the masses".
Speaking in Kaduna yesterday while receiving leaders and members of CPC led by the member representing Funtua/Dandume federal constituency in the House of Representatives Mansur Abdulkadir, Buhari also said the federal government since the administration of Babangida to date was responsible for the high level of corruption found in the petroleum industry.
The money, which was siphoned during the pension and petroleum scam, must be replaced and brought back into the government's account for good leadership, he said.
Buhari said lack of sincerity on the part of leaders was responsible for the security challenges bedevilling the country, saying more industries should be built to create job opportunities in the country. "The inability of these industries to work has brought mistrust and corruption in Nigeria," he said.
"The biggest problem that Nigeria is facing today is for adequate security to be in place and look for ways in which we can protect the riches of this country and provide job opportunities for the youths. Our leaders have to be sincere and lead in the fear of God and carry all along for Nigeria to be a better place. All leaders should stand and keep their promises to the people. We cannot move forward if things that are supposed to be put in place are not done," he said.
He said bribing the masses and using force to gain political office were an old fashion and not supposed to exist in the country any longer, saying all those that wanted the masses to vote for them should go to them directly.
"A leader who wants to be a good leader must look at what the needs of the people are, their sufferings, their humiliations and then proffer solution to the problems," he said.
He also said elders of all districts are supposed to bring their people together and teach them how to love one another, tolerate each other so that Nigeria can be lifted to a greater height with good leadership.
Buhari said for Nigeria to move forward, there must be good leaders that would develop the country, saying there is no country where impunity strives like Nigeria.
In his remark, the leader of the delegation, Mansur Abdulkadir said the purpose of their visit was to wish General Buhari, a happy Eid-El-Fitr celebration as well as to seek his blessing ahead of the forthcoming local government election in Katsina State.
Daily Trust