Presidency throws light on saboteurs in Buhari’s government

Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu in the interview granted to the Daily Trust speaks on Nigeria’s membership of the Islamic anti-terrorist coalition, Buhari’s foreign trips and many other issues.

President Muhammadu Buhari in the latest interview during his Middle East tour claimed that some people in his government are sabotaging him. This claim is drawing massive reactions from the public.

Asked particularly if the president suspected any act of sabotage in the 2016 budget controversy, he answered without hesitation, “certainly”.

Buhari stated that there are some people in his government who are not “100 per cent loyal” to his administration.

Shehu answering to this development said: “I am not sure if that is exactly the word that he has used, but there are problems in every organization and I believe that was what was on the president’s mind. This government had shown the greatest form of accommodation towards people out of power and I will give you one example.

“You know the one they call John Kennedy Opara, without meaning to embarrass him, he is the Chairman of the Christian Pilgrims Commission. Everyone knew him as one of the closest persons to former president Jonathan, but the man has been on his seat carrying on with his job as if no government has changed in the country.

“The president gave eight months to the chief executives of government parastatals before he decided to remove 26 out of nearly 400. At the time some of them were asked to go, it was clear that they had become irredeemably unchangeable, that they were immune to the change mantra. That was why they were asked to go but those who have accepted the change mantra and have adjusted to the new political environment are getting on with their jobs. I am sure a lot of our party people would be disappointed, but that is the way the president is, he wants to give everybody a fair chance bearing in mind that you are a Nigerian first before belonging to any political party.
“And that if you are contributing to the country in your place of work, you don’t have to be fired simply because you don’t agree that the APC should be in place. So that is where we are now.”

The presidential media aide also revealed what Nigeria will gain from the recent decision to join the Saudi Arabia-backed Islamic anti-terrorist coalition.

“We stand to gain knowledge and insight into what has largely come to be known as terrorism, coming from radicalized versions of Islam,” he said.