Buhari Speaks At Chatham House In London
General Muhammadu Buhari, who is contesting for the presidential seat under the platform of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke at the Royal Institute of International Affair, Chatham House, in London, the United Kingdom, on February 26, 2015, Thursday.
Millions of Nigerians are waiting for his speech to debunk rumours over his poor health and to ask questions concerning Nigeria’s challenges.
From the early morning they have been sending their questions on Twitter with hash tag #CHAfrica.
Read some of the questions below:
READ ALSO: Buhari Arrives Chatham House Accompanied By Amaechi, El-Rufai
Follow live updates from the event:
12:06 Gozney brings the conference to an end.
12:05 Sir Richard Gozney KCMG CVO KStJ, a former British High Commissioner to Nigeria, finishes by saying: "Be sure, General Buhari is in London."
12:00 On Sharia, Buhari says Sharia law is inferior to the constitution, so "anyone who wants to enthrone Sharia will have to go and change the constitution."
11:59 Answering questions on how Nigerians yearning for change have been screaming his name, he admits that he is burdened by the extent of expectations from his supporters.
11:58 He says: "It is unfortunate that we are ending (the conference) with my age."
11:57 The question from Twitter: Do you have a position on Sharia Law? another question linking to the age of General.
11:54 On credibility of the March 28 election: "We are grateful to Americans, Europeans for cautioning the Federal Government."
11:51 On ethno-religious differences in Nigeria:"The Nigerian military is the most cohesive institution of the country. And I'm from the military!"
11:51 "If we want to start probing cases of corruption from 1960 upwards, then we will not do anything else," Buhari says.
11:50 The judiciary will handle the cases already with it, but he does not intend to look into others in the past.
11:50 He says if he assumes power, he will draw the line.
11:49 "Who would these people be, by the way?"
READ ALSO: PDP To Stage Anti-Buhari Protest In London
11:48 On corruption, he says: "I have tried to win the confidence on those who have scared of me because of my antecedents."
11:46 Another question for Buhari: "What would you do, sir, about the highest salaries of members of the national assembly?"
11:44 The participant asks the retired general what his top three priorities would be in terms of attracting foreign investment to the country.
11:42 Another bunch of questions now.
11:41 Answering the question on Nigeria's elimination of Ebola and how his administration would "carry that forward", he praises the APC governors Babatunde Fashola of Lagos and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, saying they were the ones who really experienced the threat of the viral disease.
11:39 "People in the North are fighting Boko Haram in their own ways, by sharing intelligence data, for instance."
11:38 "Nigerians may expect miracles from me within days or months. Please, temper high expectations."
11:37 On Boko Haram the APC candidate answers: "Nigeria is in trouble, we will quickly change this."
11:35 All the questions are being collated, and he will answer all of them together, one after the other.
11:31 Buhari finishes his speech, begins answering the questions.
11:30 He says he takes responsibility for the past and accepts that "standing before you is a former military dictator and a democracy convert."
11:30 He still believes that change is possible.
11:29 He says he will end on a personal note and make references to talks about his dictatorial rule.
11:29 The discussion, he explains, will have to start from organising free and fair elections.
11:28 He says that given its strategic importance, Nigeria can trigger the consolidation of democracy in Africa.
11:26 "I am running for president to lead Nigeria into prosperity, not adversity," the APC presidential candidate says.
11:26 He says all revenue-generating arms of the government, led by NNPC, would have a signle book; while anti-corruption agencies would operate without government interference.
READ ALSO: Buhari Went To London To Meet Members Of Chatham House
11:25 "Corruption will have no place, and corrupt will not be in my government," Buhari continues.
11:24 Buhari talks about the high rates of unemployment and inequalities as well.
11:22 The talks about Nigeria's economy, and how nearly 40% of Nigerians live in extreme poverty.
11:21 "If I am elected president the world would have no cause to worry about Nigeria," Buhari.
11:21 "We will not allow problems to fester. I, Mohammed Buhari, will lead from the front," the ex military head of state said.
11:20 He promises that if voted in, his government would not allow the loss of any part of the Nigerian territory to terrorists.
11:19 "We will be tough with terrorism."
11:18 "If I elected the President of Nigeria, it will have a stabilising role in the continent."
11:15 Buhari is talking about the Boko Haram challenge.
11:13 "So democracy on the continent," he says, "can ve viewed from two prisms, or can be seen as a glass that is half-full."
11:12 He talks, too, about the countries where democracy has suffered- the likes of Togo, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau and Mali.
11:12 He talks about the democracy in Africa and cites the example of four countries where the ruling party peacefully handed over to victorious opposition parties.
11:11 He says the USSR experience was a personal turning point for him, as it thought him that change could be effected without firing a single shot.
11:10 Buhari talks about the emergence of democracy as the preferred system of governance all over the world.
11:08 "As you all now I have been a military head of state, we jailed for corruption, but the global trial for democracy showed that change can be brought."
11:06 He speaks about the challenges Nigeria faces.
11:05 Buhari thanks and begins his speech.
11:03 Sir Richard Gozney KCMG CVO KStJ, a former British High Commissioner to Nigeria, greeted General Buhari and praised his modesty of life.
11:01 The meeting begins.
Meanwhile the opposition accused the spokesperson for Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode, of plotting to organize anti-Buhari protest in the UK on Thursday.
General Buhari is in London for almost a week. He has already met with former Prime-Minister Tony Blair and organized interactive session with Nigerians yesterday, February 26.
Source: Legit.ng
