Speaking at a town hall meeting tagged ‘The Candidates’ organised by the MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with NTA and DARIA media in Abuja on Wednesday, Buhari said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) nominated him as its presidential candidate because he had delivered on the campaign promises of the party.
“We want Nigerians to remember where we were in 2015, where we are now and where we are going,” he said.
On allegations that the fight against corruption was skewed in one direction, Buhari said the allegations were not backed with facts.
He urged persons or organisations with any evidence of corrupt practices against members of his administration to come forward with such evidences to him for prompt action.
The Moderator of the programme, Kadaria Ahmed, specifically cited the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal, who was relieved of his appointment over allegations of corrupt practices, but was not prosecuted, instead he had been seen campaigning for the president.
However, President Buhari said: “That is not fair criticism of the government. I do not think there is anybody that is being pointed out as corrupt in this dispensation which we looked the other direction.
“I told you why I have to be careful; the public should help us, if there are strong allegations that are backed up with evidences, bank accounts, names of companies floated and contracts awarded.
“Then we will take them before the courts through the EFCC and ICPC; and we have to trust the system and allow them to complete investigation.
“If we just take people in as we did during the military and lock them up, the present democracy, a multi-party democracy does not approve of that,’’ he said.
He explained that evidence has to be provided against any person to warrant prosecution.
He reiterated that his administration would not tolerate any form of corrupt practices from any quarters, saying those making allegations should be able to provide evidence why the accused should be prosecuted.
On whether he will accept the outcome of the forthcoming general elections, Buhari said even though he was optimistic of winning the election, he would gladly accept the results.
He narrated how he accepted the results of previous elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011 even after challenging the results at the relevant courts.
“It won’t be the first time I will lose election. I tried in 2003 and I was in court for 13 months, in 2007, I was in court for 18 months, in 2011 and went up to the Supreme Court. I sat down and said; `God Dey’, and for the fourth time, God and technology helped me,’’ he said.