VP Osinbajo says it is madness for leaders to steal money

Nigerian Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has reiterated that it is outright madness for people in authority to prioritize self enrichment.

In a statement signed by the special assistant to the Vice President on media, Laolu Akande, V.P Osinbajo noted that the only objective of the Buhari-led administration is to make Nigeria great.

Prof. Osinbajo stated that the President and himself are both committed to building a peaceful and just Nigeria.

“This morning, I had a meeting with the President and he repeated to me twice, he said ‘at my age there is only one thing I am looking for, I want to see a great Nigeria’. He has no other objective and I feel very inspired by that,” Osinbajo said.

Professor Osinbajo while receiving a delegation of Christian Ministers Welfare Initiative also known as the Pastors’ Forum, Taraba State, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja expressed that the economic recession the country is going through is as result of corruption noting that no nation can condole corruption like Nigeria did without facing consequences.

“No economy can tolerate the level of corruption seen in Nigeria without the consequence, Nigerian lives were being lost and yet people cannot account for $15 billion meant for purchase of security equipment to fight the insurgents.

“I think if any Nigerian gets the chance to be president of the country, there is nothing he/she is looking for anymore except that while there you improve the lot of the people,” he added.

He also expatiated how vandalisation of oil installations has contributed to the recession. He said: “Nigeria has lost several millions of barrels of crude oil due to the activities of the militants in the Niger Delta.

“By early 2016 the country was producing 5,000MW of power for the first time, but by February 2016 the Focados terminal was destroyed by militants and 40 per cent of the gas used to fire the power plants were lost and the country was down to 2,500MW of power.

“At the time the militants started blowing up oil and gas installations, the amnesty stipend were still being paid, nothing changed, the only reason is that we are investigating people who have stolen money.”

He added that the country was losing one million barrels of oil a day which amounts to 60% of the country’s revenues, and there is nowhere such amount of revenue is lost without going into some economic challenge like a recession.

He warned, “it is madness for anybody in our position to be looking for money”, noting that God give people leadership position to impact positive in the lives of their subjects.

The VP however assured Nigerians that the country will get out of the recession. He assured that “there is no question at all, God has a reason for bringing us in at this time and God helping us we will see a change in this country.”

Vice President Osinbajo urged the Church and all religious leaders to stand up against corruption, stressing that if this government is doing the right thing by fighting corruption the Church should support it.

He called on patriotic Nigerians to work together saying that “God has structured Nigeria in such a way that no one can dominate another, not Muslims against Christians or Christians against Muslims.

“It is not possible for one tribe to dominate another based on the way God has structured the country. The reason we have Christian president and Muslim vice president or Muslim president and Christian vice president is to have balance,” he said.

Earlier, the Chairman of the delegation, Rev. Godwin Nyiekule professed that the delegation had come to the State House to pledge their support to the Buhari Administration for its forthrightness and fight against corruption.

“We are happy with the government for the war against corruption crusade,” he said.