Senator Joseph Kennedy N Waku, (JKN Waku), the stormy petrel of the Middle Belt was elected senator for the Benue North West Constituency of Benue State, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in 1999. Not long after she came into national renown following his controversial call for a military coup on the claim that President Olusegun Obasanjo was derailing the democracy project. Since then he has been an unrepentant critic of President Obasanjo, and a major political figure in the North. In this interview, he speaks on current national issues. Excerpts:
The ongoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is one year old now, could you give me your independent assessment of the administration so far?
Let me tell you, Nigeria is lucky to have Buhari as a president. I cannot claim that he is one hundred percent right. He is not, but Buhari came into government at a time Nigeria needed somebody like him.
The fact that you are aware today that an individual was given N2.5 billion to N2.6 billion to offer prayers for some persons to remain in office alone has established and brought sanity to this country.
The ongoing hardship is not caused by him; the hardship has been caused by previous leaders. He just inherited it. What has been destroyed for 16 years cannot be done in one year.
The exposure that Nigerians now know how their monies were stolen by the previous administration alone, is a developmental index and progression. It instils fear into Nigerians that ‘if I get into this office, let me be careful. So, the Buhari administration has brought us sanity of governance.
Although there are still hardened criminals in offices but it is no longer business as usual. Therefore, I think Nigerians should pray for him because when you are fighting corruption, corruption fights back. So, what Buhari needs from you and I and many Nigerians is prayers, so that we get out from this mess. Let me tell you, Goodluck Jonathan was just a lazy president.
How, sir?
Because he took things for granted, he was not in charge of the affairs of the country as president. And because of that, people took his kindliness for granted and that was why there was this problem. Otherwise, the most corrupt presidency was that of Obasanjo.
Are you saying that the ongoing war against corruption be extended to him (Obasanjo)?
Look, Buhari has no choice if he wants Nigerians to have confidence in his fight against corrupt practices. He must probe Obasanjo’s regime, he has no choice. He has no choice than to probe Obasanjo’s regime, otherwise, probing Goodluck alone will look like witch-hunting.
READ FULL INTERVIEW ON MONDAY VANGUARD
The ongoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is one year old now, could you give me your independent assessment of the administration so far?
Let me tell you, Nigeria is lucky to have Buhari as a president. I cannot claim that he is one hundred percent right. He is not, but Buhari came into government at a time Nigeria needed somebody like him.
The fact that you are aware today that an individual was given N2.5 billion to N2.6 billion to offer prayers for some persons to remain in office alone has established and brought sanity to this country.
The ongoing hardship is not caused by him; the hardship has been caused by previous leaders. He just inherited it. What has been destroyed for 16 years cannot be done in one year.
The exposure that Nigerians now know how their monies were stolen by the previous administration alone, is a developmental index and progression. It instils fear into Nigerians that ‘if I get into this office, let me be careful. So, the Buhari administration has brought us sanity of governance.
Although there are still hardened criminals in offices but it is no longer business as usual. Therefore, I think Nigerians should pray for him because when you are fighting corruption, corruption fights back. So, what Buhari needs from you and I and many Nigerians is prayers, so that we get out from this mess. Let me tell you, Goodluck Jonathan was just a lazy president.
How, sir?
Because he took things for granted, he was not in charge of the affairs of the country as president. And because of that, people took his kindliness for granted and that was why there was this problem. Otherwise, the most corrupt presidency was that of Obasanjo.
Are you saying that the ongoing war against corruption be extended to him (Obasanjo)?
Look, Buhari has no choice if he wants Nigerians to have confidence in his fight against corrupt practices. He must probe Obasanjo’s regime, he has no choice. He has no choice than to probe Obasanjo’s regime, otherwise, probing Goodluck alone will look like witch-hunting.
READ FULL INTERVIEW ON MONDAY VANGUARD
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