President Muhammadu Buhari during his last visit to Qatar has given the interview to Al Jazeera.
The Nigerian president has been speaking about the challenges the
country is facing now, comprising the naira devaluation, the Boko Haram,
anti-corruption crusade, the Biafra issue.
Buhari is seeking support for his fight against corruption and to
promote much-needed investment in his country’s ailing economy. Qatar is
the actual president of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC) and Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer.
The low oil prices have a destroying influence on the Nigerian economy, which has long depended on the export of oil.
President Buhari said: “We were unable to diversify our economy,
hence we are much more disadvantaged by the lower oil prices.” He tells
the journalist that he values the institution of OPEC and that “Nigeria
will make the necessary sacrifice to remain in OPEC.”
On naira devaluation, the Nigerian leader of the nation said he would
not reconsider his insistence on freezing the currency. President
Buhari said as Nigeria “virtually imports everything, from rice to
toothpicks”, it cannot afford to devalue its currency. “If it is against
our national interest, why can’t we go against the IMF advice?” Buhari
asks.
Two major Buhari’s promises during the election campaign last year
were to eradicate corruption and end the Boko Haram insurgency. Speaking
on the Boko Haram, the president restated that none of local government
areas has been occupied by the insurgents, adding that he hasn’t failed
against the insurgents.
However, the Boko Haram remains active in many areas of Nigeria,
seemingly able to strike at will. Being asked how Buhari is pplanning to
deal with Biafra, the president said: “At least two millions Nigerians
were killed in the Biafra war. And for somebody to wake up, may be they
weren’t born. Looking for Biafra after two millions people were killed,
they are joking with the security and Nigeria won’t tolerate Biafra.”
The declaration of the Independent Republic of Biafra in 1967 caused a
civil war that resulted in the death of millions and the re-annexation
of the republic to Nigeria in 1970.
The administration of President Buhari has always maintained that
Nigeria’s unity is a priority for the country and that while peaceful
pro-Biafran protests are welcome, demanding the separation of the
Biafran territories is against the constitution.
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