IN seizing power from General Gowon (80), the then
Military ruler, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed
(1938-76) told the nation on July 30, 1975 that “this
Government will not tolerate indiscipline.
The Government will not condone abuse of office.” He kept
his word. He retired over 10 thousand public servants
including top military officers. He set up a committee that
reviewed the performances of all public officers.
At the end of the exercise, only two Ministers were found
not guilty, Alhaji Shehu Shagari (90) and Shettima Alli
Mongunnu (89). At that time Nigeria had 12 states
governors.
Only two of the Governors, Brigadiers Oluwole Rotimi and
Mobolaji Johnson were cleared of corruption. Quite a
number of public servants, Ministers and Governors had
their assets seized.
No
one was prosecuted for corruption. In taking over power
from President Shehu Shagari, the then Major General
Muhammadu Buhari (72) told the nation on January 1, 1984
that “the change became necessary in order to put an end to
the serious economic predicament and the crisis of
confidence now afflicting our nation.”
He said “the situation could have been saved if the
legislators were alive to their constitutional responsibilities.
Instead, the legislators were pre-occupied with determining
their salary scales, fringe benefits and unnecessary foreign
travels, et cetera, which took no account of the state of the
economy and the welfare of the people they represented”.
To mark his 100 days in office on April 7, 1984, the then
Major General Muhammadu Buhari further told the nation
that “we took over from the defunct civilian Administration
at the Federal and State levels a financial situation of vast
indebtedness.
In fact, the depth and seriousness of the financial
predicament of the State Governments and, by implication,
of the nation has become clearer and clearer, day-by-day.
The Federal Government had to assist State Governments
recently with a sum of over N600 million as loan to enable
them pay all arrears of wages and salaries before the end of
April 1984”.
At that time he was 42 and still vibrant, resounding and
resonant. As a military officer with regimental discipline, he
turned to decrees to administer the nation.
He also set up the Recovery of Public [Property] Special
Military Tribunals Amended Decree 8 of 1984 which he
signed into law on April 5, 1984.
In setting up the Decree 8, he created in addition, tribunals
in five zones of the country. The Enugu zone made up of
Anambra, Imo, Cross River and Rivers states was headed by
Air Commodore M. Muhammed. For the Jos zone which
comprised Plateau, Bauchi, Gongola, Benue and Borno
states. Brigadier Peter Ademokhai was named as the
Chairman. F
or the Kaduna zone made up of Kaduna, Kano, Niger,
Sokoto states and the Federal Capital Territory, Navy
Captain M.A. Elegbede was named as the chairman. For the
Ibadan zone made up of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Bendel and
Kwara states, Brigadier C.B. Ndiomu was named as the
Chairman. As for the Lagos zone made up of Lagos State,
Brigadier P.U. Omu was named chairman.
Major General Buhari at that time was young, vibrant and
patriotically adventurous. On August 7, 1985, he was
toppled at 6.00 a.m. via announcement by the then
Commander of the Armoured Corps of the Nigerian Army,
Brigadier Joshua Dongoyaro.
On that day Major General Ibrahim Babangida took over as
the head of state. Major General Buhari was detained for
three years thereafter.
He was first detained in a government house at Alagbaka in
Akure, where he became my neighbour before he was
eventually transferred to Benin City.
On November 24, 1993, General Babangida signed the
forfeiture of assets (release of forfeited assets Decree 24) and
returned some of the forfeited properties to former governors
under General Gowon including Faruk and his wife,
Brigadiers Samuel Ogbemudia, David Bamigboye, Alfred
Diete-Spiff and Chief Edwin Clarke who served as Gowon’s
Minister of information.
The Decree rubbished the anti-corruption crusade of General
Murtala Muhammed. In taking over on May 29, 1999 from
General Abdusalami Abubakar, President Olusegun
Obasanjo set up three panels to probe the administration of
General Abdusalami.
The three panels were headed by Dr. Christopher Kolade,
Brigadier (rtd.) Oluwole Rotimi and Alhaji Igudu Inua. No
one has so far been prosecuted.
But it was understood that the Kolade’s panel recovered
some money to the coffers of the Central Government. Now
President Muhammadu Buhari is back in power. Fully
experienced and cautious.
At 72, having passed through many ordeals, he is now more
scrupulous and punctilious. In the last few weeks, the
country has been treated with stories of massive looting by
the Goodluck Jonathan’s government.
It appears it is the misfortune of President Muhammadu
Buhari to head a corrective regime instead of a regime of
continuity. Things have to be so bad that he has to step in to
remedy a worse situation.
That is the cross he has to carry. To his credit, and in the
words of President Barak Obama, “he is a man of integrity” –
a befitting testimonial that is very rare among leaders of
today’s world.
With eminent and close friends like Major General
Mohammed Magoro (rtd.), Major General Paul Tarfa (rtd),
Alhaji Mamman Daura, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, Lt-General
Alani Ipoola Akinrinade (rtd.), Alhaji Gidado Idris ,the only
SGF who served two Heads of State, Alhaji Hayatudeen,
Pastor Tunde Bakare, Prince Tony Momoh, Alhaji Sule
Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ismaila Issa
Funtua, his in-law, General T.Y. Danjuma (rtd.), former
Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie – his
classmate, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, former SGF, Dr. (Mrs)
Mallia Zayyad, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr.
Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and others
around him, I am sure President Muhammadu Buhari will
never walk alone. • Teniola, a former director at the
presidency, stays in Lagos.
12:03 am
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