BY NNANNA OTU, LAGOS
Courtesy of the Ghanaian born, Italian Nation football team player and Premier League infant terrible of the 2012 era -Mario Baloteli who unveiled an underwear T-shirt with the inscription –Why Always Me? when he scored a scintillating goal for his club then, Manchester City FC; with his latest attempt at playing Santa Claude that has gone soar in the mouths of most Nigerians, we are constrained to ask President Muhammadu Buhari the Mario Baloteli kind of question –Why Always Niger Republic?.
Following a leaked Memo that went viral recently, together with a Presidential seal of approval for the purchase of 10 units of Toyota Prado Utility Vehicles to be delivered to the Government of Niger Republic and the backlash that has followed that shady, under the table transaction which obviously was anything but transparent, the Government was forced to come clean on this highly vexatious breach of public trust. The gift of high end Sport Utility Vehicles to Niger Republic (suspected to be Armoured/Bullet Proof SUVs based on their price) did not receive the mandatory National Assembly approval/budgetary provision. Indeed, the National Assembly got to know about the transaction that was consummated in February, 2022 on the first of August when the leaked documents went viral.
The Minister of Finance and National Planning while briefing State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council Meeting on Wednesday, 3rd August 2022, confirmed that 10 units of Toyota Prado Sports Utility Vehicles were purchased by the Federal Government at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari, at a whooping cost N1.14 billion and delivered to Niger Republic, to assist the neighbouring country in their fight against insecurity. This transaction was done without recourse to Due Process that ordinarily should have included an invitation for Tenders, a Tenders Board Selection Process and approval to supply. But in this case, by fiat, the money was dumped on KARA MOTORS LTD (owned by a House of Representative member) and he was asked to supply the vehicles. Shikina!
President Muhammadu Buhari has shown so much generosity to Niger Republic since assuming office as an elected president of Nigeria in 2015. He financed the construction of a High Way from Daura in Katsina State to Mardi in Niger Republic. He then took a loan of $2.9billion from China to construct a Standard Gauge Railway from Kano through Katsina to Mardi in Niger Republic, even when the entire South-East and South-South axis of Nigeria do not have functional Rail Lines. Ordinarily, the East-West Rail Line should have taken priority based on the likely impact such project will have on the National and Sub-national economies within the regions.
We highly are worried that the level of insecurity in Niger Republic is a far cry and a child’s play if compared with the daily kidnap and mass murder going on in Nigeria. By our perception, we don’t seem to see the Federal Government doing much about that and perception; they say controls the thought system of people. So, our roof is on raging fire, but we are emptying cans of our Fire Extinguisher on the roof of our neighbour’s house with a candle light tongue of flame on it. NO BE JUJU BE THAT?
President Buhari had long thrown caution to the wing in his desire to impress his Cousins on the Niger Republic end of the divide. His allegiance, commitment and loyalty tilts heavily to the side of Niger Republic than Nigeria and Nigerians that elected him president. His sense probity, equity and justice are impaired by his primordial inclination to the base tendencies of tribe and religion. Under the current unprecedented economic disaster Nigeria as a country is passing through, President Buhari had the “liver” to dole out $1 million to Afghanistan to assist the extremist Islamic nation wade through her liquidity crunch. We supply near-constant Electricity to Niger Republic at almost zero cost, yet with outrageous estimated bills, we can hardly boast of 12 hours electricity in two day here in Nigeria. INDEED, THE OPTICS OF BUHARI’S ACTIONS IS NASTY, TERRIBLE AND UNJUSTIFIABLE!
When will this unjust alimony obligation to Niger Republic end?
