Ahead of his visit to President
Obama today, President Buhari wrote an article for the Washington Post titled
'Nigeria committed to good governance and fighting terror" where he
datiled what he has done so far and what he plans to do towards the fight
against Boko Haram and corruption. He also affirmed that his Ministers will be
appointed in September. Full text of the
op-ed after the cut...
This month, the world moved a
step closer to the defeat of Boko Haram, the jihadist group that has terrorized
hundreds of thousands in the northern states of Nigeria. In one of my first
acts since taking office as president six weeks ago, I have replaced the heads
of Nigeria’s army, navy and air force. Our new military leadership has not been
chosen because of their familiarity with those in government, as was too often
the case in the past, but on their track records and qualifications alone.
These new military leaders will
be based in Borno State in northern Nigeria, where the headquarters of the
armed services has been relocated. This shift of resources and command directly
to the front line, in addition to the replacement of the head of the State
Security Service, Nigeria’s intelligence organization, and a new emphasis on
working in partnership with our neighbors, has equipped us to take the fight
directly to Boko Haram.
Already we are beginning to see
a degrading of Boko Haram’s capabilities as a fighting force. In recent weeks,
it appears to have shifted away from confronting the military directly to an
increase in attacks on civilian areas, as we saw only last week when an elderly
woman and 10-year-old girl blew themselves up at a Muslim prayer gathering in
northeastern Nigeria. We should not be confused by this change, hateful as it
is: It does not mean that Boko Haram is succeeding in its aims — it shows that
it is losing.
While we work to defeat the
terrorists, I ask the people of Nigeria and the world for resolve and
fortitude. The campaign we will wage will not be easy; it may not be swift. We
should expect stages of success and also moments when it may appear that our
advances have been checked. But no one should have any doubt as to the strength
of our collective will or my commitment to rid this nation of terror and bring
back peace and normalcy to all affected areas.
Similarly, my determination
should not be underestimated in other matters. This includes instilling good
governance and tackling the scourge of corruption that has held Nigeria back
for too long.
As I meet with President Obama
today — the first time a president of the United States will encounter a
Nigerian counterpart following the peaceful transfer of power in a contested
election in our history — I will be discussing my plans for critical reforms.
So, too, will I discuss why the formation of my administration is taking time
and, crucially, why it must. Already there are voices saying these changes are
taking too long — even though only six weeks have passed since my inauguration.
I hear such calls, but this task cannot and should not be rushed.
When cabinet ministers are
appointed in September, it will be some months after I took the oath of office.
It is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full Cabinet in place
for several months after first taking office; the United States did not cease
to function in the interim. In Nigeria’s case, it would neither be prudent nor
serve the interests of sound government to have made these appointments
immediately on my elevation to the presidency; instead, Nigeria must first put
new rules of conduct and good governance in place.
I cannot stress how important
it is to ensure that this process is carried out correctly, just as it has been
crucial to first install the correct leadership of the military and security
services before we fully take the fight to Boko Haram.
There are too few examples in
the history of Nigeria since independence where it can be said that good
management and governance were instituted at a national level. This lack of a
governance framework has allowed many of those in charge, devoid of any real
checks and balances, to plunder. The fact that I now seek Obama’s assistance in
locating and returning $150 billion in funds stolen in the past decade and held
in foreign bank accounts on behalf of former, corrupt officials is testament to
how badly Nigeria has been run. This way of conducting our affairs cannot
continue.
Indeed, the failure of
governance, it can be argued, has been as much a factor in Nigeria’s inability
thus far to defeat Boko Haram as have been issues with the military campaign
itself.
So the path we must take is
simple, even if it is not easy: First, instill rules and good governance;
second, install officials who are experienced and capable of managing state
agencies and ministries; and third, seek to recover funds stolen under previous
regimes so that this money can be INVESTED in Nigeria for the benefit of all of
our citizens.
We seek the support and
partnership of the United States in these tasks. The importance of the fight
against terrorism and corruption in Nigeria, Africa’s most powerful economy and
largest populace, cannot be underestimated. Our allies can provide much-needed
military training and intelligence as our soldiers take the war effort to Boko
Haram. Similarly, we look to U.S. businesses as well as the Obama administration
to help develop governance initiatives that can ensure that Nigeria’s wealth
benefits all its people, not just a few. By taking these steps, we will be
positioned to benefit from increased INVESTMENT — particularly in energy and
electricity — from the United States.
I was elected on a platform of
change. I know this is what the people of Nigeria desire more than anything
else. I know they are impatient for action. I realize the world waits to see
evidence that my administration will be different from all those that came
before. Yet reforming my country after so many years of abuse cannot be
achieved overnight. In our campaigns against both Boko Haram and corruption, we
should remain steadfast and remember, as it is said: “Have patience. All things
become difficult before they become easy.”
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