I’ll battle corruption, Buhari vows

The president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, vowed on Wednesday that his administration would not tolerate corruption.

He spoke after receiving the Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja.

Mr. Buhari, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, was declared winner of the March 28 presidential election, defeating the incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan, who was the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“Furthermore, we shall strongly battle another form of evil that is even worse than terrorism—the evil of corruption. Corruption attacks and seeks to destroy our national institutions and character. By misdirecting into selfish hands funds intended for the public purpose, corruption distorts the economy and worsens income inequality. It creates a class of unjustly-enriched people,” Mr. Buhari said.

“Such an illegal yet powerful force soon comes to undermine democracy because its conspirators have amassed so much money that they believe they can buy government. We shall end this threat to our economic development and democratic survival. I repeat that corruption will not be tolerated by this administration; and it shall no longer be allowed to stand as if it is a respected monument in this nation.”

The president-elect asked Nigerians to join him in resolving all the challenges Nigeria is confronted with, noting that along the way there would be victories but there may also be setbacks.

Mr. Buhari, who was Nigeria’s military head of state between 1983 and 1985, waged stern war against corruption while his administration lasted. The administration jailed several Second Republic politicians for corruption charges with some of them bagging as 100 years prison terms.

He had assured at a campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in January that all corrupt politicians will end up in jail if he was elected into power.

“When we come to power, anyone who steals Nigeria’s money will end up in KiriKiri Maximum Prisons. We are going to make sure that Nigeria’s wealth belongs only to Nigerians,” he said.