"Buhari’s government is corrupt, 50 million-litre fuel consumption is fraud" – Bukola Saraki

Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s Senate President who sat for an exclusive interview with Channels TV, stated that President Buhari’s government is corrupt.

The Senate President who maintained that there is no way the present government can be speaking of integrity when it has “a member who has been found wanting, left without charge or prosecution”, added that the Federal Government’s claims of paying subsidy on the 50 million litre of fuel being consumed by Nigerians daily was a big fraud.

According to the former Governor of Kwara State, Jonathan administration was ousted on three major promises which are: security, economic growth and the fight against corruption. Bukola Saraki who further stated that Boko Haram insurgency has worsened and that “more territories are being lost”, added that  “creation of more jobs has failed” and Nigeria has dropped to a very disturbing position on the poverty chart.

“One of the areas we labeled the Goodluck Jonathan government as a corrupt one is on the issue of fuel subsidy. The assumption then was that the Federal Government was paying subsidy on the 30 million litres of fuel being consumed daily by Nigerians.

“All statistics have shown, even now that it is not possible for Nigerians to consume that much daily.

“A government that is claiming to be fighting corruption is now telling us that we are consuming 50 million litres of fuel per day. It is not possible.

“The National Assembly has investigated the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s claims but our efforts have been frustrated because agencies of government under the current government have been emboldened to disregard the National Assembly.

“We have lost a lot of money because oil is our major source of revenue through the NNPC. If we are paying subsidy based on the 50 million litre consumption then it is a big fraud! It is corruption” he said.

The Senate President who also debunked claims that the 16-years of the PDP caused the crisis currently being experienced in the country, further argued that there is almost no way that President Muhammadu Buhari is not aware of what is going on within his government, stressing that the Senate has investigated the issue but “we have an environment where agencies of government are emboldened to disregard the National Assembly, it is a big issue”.

 “The process leading to the 2019 general election is a big concern to us and I have said it several times; PDP is contesting against the APC and the security agencies,” Saraki added.