President Muhammadu Buhari in his maiden presidential media chat on Wednesday dismissed allegations of partisanship in his administration’s fight against corruption, promising to sack any minister found to be corrupt.
“I have been a democrat since 2002. I don’t think I tolerate corruption. I don’t think I have picked anybody that I know will embarrass my government. But if you have got evidence on any of my ministers, it is your right as a Nigerian citizen to tell them that you don’t want a, b or c in the cabinet because they have got a case in court. I don’t think I picked anybody as a minister who has a case of corruption in court”, he said.
The president was interviewed by a panel of seasoned journalists comprising the quartet of Kayode Akintemi (Channels TV), Munir Dan Ali (Daily Trust), Ngozi Anyaegbulam (Media World International) and Ibanga Isine (Premium Times).
From the presidential media chat, we bring you 20 notable quotes from President Buhari.
“There are terrible cases of corruption and we can only appeal to Nigerians to be patient”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“I can’t see the National Assembly spending more than N40 billion to buy cars on top of transport allowances they collected. I have to revisit this story”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“We have to look into our conscience and live according to our means”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“There is so much security problem, it is for all Nigerians to make sure we become each other’s keeper”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“We have to go back to Constitution to see about merging states. My personal opinion shouldn’t be relevant”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“My VP is quoted on N5,000 per youth pay, how can I come here and deny it?” #PresidentialMediaChat
“Boko Haram, militants, Biafra group, they say they are marginalized; but who is marginalising them?” #PresidentialMediaChat
“I have declared my assets four times, mentioned which banks I took money from and how many cars I have”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“If any member of my cabinet is found wanting for corruption they would be sacked and prosecuted in the courts”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“We will act on Chibok girls when we get credible information that the girls are alive”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“How can any group create a state within a state? I don’t want to speak about it in details now. I think I should leave it until I see the inquiries”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“If Boko Harram continues with suicide bombings, we might consider banning wearing Hijab”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“I need to be convinced before devaluing the naira”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“By the end of next quarter we won’t be talking about subsidy, cost of refined product so low, no need for subsidy”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“Fashola wasn’t made a super minister for no reason”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“You cannot manage the country if you don’t secure it”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“I turned down a N400million car proposal for the presidency. I said the cars I have are good enough for 10 years. Let us manage the old one because of the economy”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“We may have to send the young unemployed youth seeking N5k fee to farm to earn the money”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“We will look into the students already in school to be able to use their MasterCard Debit/Credit cards abroad”. #PresidentialMediaChat
“The standard of tertiary institutions is really poor, I don’t want students sitting on windows to take lectures”. #PresidentialMediaChat
Did you watch the presidential media chat? Share what your notable quotes were from President Buhari.
