» Buhari Must Probe Jonathan For The Sake Of National Interest! - Theophilus Danjuma «

Former Defence minister, General
Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), yesterday
advised the President-elect, General
Muhammadu Buhari, to investigate
President Goodluck Jonathan’s
administration over the $60billion debt
profile it would bequeath to the country,
with nothing to justify it.
Danjuma made the call in Takum, Taraba
State, during the commissioning and
handing over of two bridges he built along
Takum-Katsina Ala Road.
The call came days after the Vice President-
elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has raised
concern about the huge debt burden that
President Jonathan was bequeathing to
Buhari’s government.
Professor Osinbajo, while speaking at a
two-day policy dialogue last Wednesday on
the implementation of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) agenda for change, noted
that the country was experiencing its worst
moment in history, as a whopping $
60billion local and foreign debt was hanging
on its neck, while over two-thirds of the
states in the country were owing workers’
salaries and the Federal Government was
borrowing to fund recurrent expenditure.
He also disclosed that about 110 million
Nigerians were wallowing in poverty.
Commenting on Saturday, Danjuma
lamented that the outgoing administration
had nothing to show for incurring the debt
and emphasized that a probe was needed
to uncover what happened to the fund.
“It is disheartening to know that the
incoming government of Buhari will have to
contend with a debt of over $60billion and
there is nothing to show for this huge
debt,” he said.
“Well, we would know what happened to
these monies, because I believe that the
Buhari administration has to, and should, in
national interest, investigate the
administration so that we would know
what happened.”
The former minister said he chose to steer
clear of politics because “all the political
parties are the same [and] very bad.”
adding that “I rather steer clear of it. I
support anyone who comes to me for
money based on what I make of their
person irrespective of political affiliations,”
he said.
General Danjuma said he constructed the
bridges to address the plight of his people
and cut the number of deaths and
permanent disabilities caused by the
replaced dilapidated bridges.
“The project started when I noticed the
deplorable state of the bridges and realized
that they have become deathtraps and a
major cause of serious disabilities in the
society over the years. I was determined
that something has to be done and
immediately initiated the project.
“Being aware that this is a federal road, I
sought and obtained permission from
Works Ministry and the work commenced.
We worked closely with the ministry and
other relevant bodies and today, the
challenges are over and I’m glad this is
over,” Danjuma stated.
Danjuma who regretted that the road has
not been given any serious attention since
the Civil War, called on the minister to
award the contract for the building of the
road to a competent civil engineering
company, not Federal Road Maintenance
Agency (FERMA), noting that the contract
supposedly awarded for the construction of
the road over a year ago had been ignored
completely to the detriment of the people.