The details of a secret meeting between newly sworn-in President Muhammadu Buhari and some northern leaders have been revealed. The meeting took place at the presidential villa on Saturday night, 30th May, 2015.
These northern leaders told Buhari not to make the kind of mistake Dr Jonathan made by not massively developing the Niger Delta.
They said he focused on the transformation of the entire country, believing that he (Dr Jonathan) will secure a second term in office to massively develop Niger Delta.
They asked Buhari to treat the north, mostly north-west and north-east like every day is his last day in office, citing the long absence of a northerner at the helm of affairs.
The Nigerian President was inaugurated at the Eagles Square in Abuja, on May 29, 2015.
Buhari, 72, defeated Goodluck Jonathan in March 28 elections -- the first time in Nigeria's history that an opposition candidate had beaten a sitting president.
An insider and attendee at the nocturnal meeting who demanded anonimity, said that the northern leaders made eight demands from Buhari, including:
1. Appointment of core northern Muslims in to key positions in the country.
2. Extra financial support for the 19 northern states.
3. Amnesty for Boko Haram, so that it would be an avenue to empower northern youths.
4. To establish a world class petroleum university in Katsina state.
5. To build another refinery in Kano state.
6. To pay off Tinubu and Amaechi for sponsoring his campaign, so that his presidency can be truly a northern presidency.
7. To place Ankio Briggs and Asari Dokubo on DSS watch list, seize their passports, because they can turn the Niger Delta region against his presidency.
8. And lastly they asked him not to honour the gay agreement between his party (APC) and the western countries.
Sources said Buhari agreed to try his best in the first seven demands, but he is not so sure of the last demand which is the gay agreement with western countries, because he is scared they would fight him, destabilize his government, and possibly edge him out like they did to Dr Jonathan.
The meeting had in attendance, Governors El Rufai, Aminu Masari, Abdulahi Ganduje of Kano, and Ibrahim Shehu Shema of Katsina respectively.
Others are Atiku Abubakar, Ibrahim Coomassie, Adamu Ciroma, Yusuf Maitama Sule, and Muhammad Danjuma Goje.
Meanwhile Aides of President Buhari, yesterday, explained why the president did not declare his assets publicly. They said he will make his assets known to Nigerians within the first 100 days of his stay in power in line with his pledge before the election.
Mixed reactions followed yesterday, on the report that the president and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had submitted their assets declaration to the Code of Conduct Bureau without immediately making them public.
A civil rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, argued that it was imperative for the duo to make public their assets. It said the action will indicate “their desire and commitment to ending corruption in the country.”
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on its part, said it would allow Buhari to settle down for governance before taking him to task on his campaign promises.
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