Ebun Francis || Nigeria’s minister of transport and former governor of oil-rich Rivers State on Thursday admitted that there is corruption in President Buhari’s government but, however, said that the level pales into insignificant when compared with the looting that took place during the time of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Amaechi said, “I will nearly be a foolish man to say that there is no corruption in this government, but compare the magnitude if there is any,” he said.
“Before it was with impunity. Now there are consequences for stealing.
“For any reason, we lose the election, you the young ones are taking yourselves and Nigeria 10 steps backwards because the elites who left through PDP are waiting in the wind.”
The transport minister made the remark in a chat with newsmen at his office in Abuja.
He also warned that corruption will return to the country “automatically” if Nigerians vote out President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
“Let me tell you, if we don’t win, corruption will come back automatically,” he said. “Nobody will beg it.”
He said members of his former party, which is now the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, have been “hungry” for four years because they are out of power.
“They have been out for four years and they have never been out of government before; PDP never left government, so now they are hungry. Not hungry for power, in fact, if you tell them that I want to keep power and I will give you money, they will say take power and give us the money,” he said.
The minister and members of President Buhari’s inner circle are bracing themselves for a tough reelection campaign if Buhari decides to contest because of the perception of Nigerians that the president had failed to meet the high expectations of Nigerians.
“It was not easy last time but it will be more difficult now. Why it would be difficult, more difficult? Expectations were too high, and a lot of people felt that we did not meet those expectations but they are not looking at what it takes to meet those expectations,” he said.