It has become expedient for me to respond to a publication by an online
platform which headlined a story claiming that I said Buhari’s Government
has let me down.
Shortly after my release from the EFCC on Tuesday, I posted a statement to
thank all those who joined in demanding for my release. As part of that
statement, I wrote that “This is a government that I fought for. But
occurrences like these are not the experiences that myself and millions of
Nigerians have fought for.”
If those words were what the online platform used to mean that I said the
Buhari govt has let me down, then I must have been quoted out of context.
What I was simply trying to say is that I fought for the government, but
the incidence of my arrest by the EFCC has shown that it is not what we
fought for that happened. If that statement expresses any iota of
disappointment, then it will be on the Magu-led leadership of the EFCC who
simply arrogated to himself the judge and the jury in a case that he is
the principal subject. President Buhari in the spirit of strengthening
institutions in Nigeria gave the EFCC the freedom to independently carry
out its constitutional responsibilities. It is the EFCC chairman that
decided to abuse that independence. Therefore, the president should not
be dragged into this matter.
To set the records straight, there is no way I could have expressed
disappointment in a govt that one of its institution decided to abuse its
powers. It will only amount to meaning that I expected the Buhari
government to stand by me whether or not I am guilty of the offence
alleged. That will be dragging us to the past days of impunity which
informed my decision to support the person of President Muhammadu Buhari
and his change mantra. I know for one that the Buhari government will not
shield anyone found wanting whether or not you support or is part of his
government. So expecting such would have been disastrous.
I have been an ardent supporter of the president since 2003 and despite
every opportunity to jump ship, I stayed the course because of my
conviction that he is the man to turn around the fortunes of the country
and he has already set towards that path. It will be foolhardy to
therefore quite at a time a course I stood with for over 15 years was
already bearing fruits.
I therefore want to restate that I remain committed to the government of
President Muhammadu Buhari and I will do everything to ensure that it
succeeds including calling out any individual in the government who is yet
to imbibe the spirit of change.
I thank you.
Abubakar Sidiq Usman