Galadima berates Buhari for ‘rewarding corruption’, says  440 of 447 National Award recipients need be in prisons

A political ally of President Muhammadu Buhari and former leader of the nPDP in the early stage of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Buba Galadima, in a media interaction, berated President Buhari over the recent National Honours Award to 470 Nigerians, slamming the president for perceived ‘reward for corruption’  in the award given to some of the recipients.  He questioned the parameter that President Buhari used in evaluating the recipients for qualification for the national merit awards, saying that some of the recipients are of “doubtful characters”.

Galadima, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), was of the view that 440 of the 470  recipients of President Buhari’s national award last Thursday need be in prison.

Speaking on Arise TV, Galadima stated, “of the 447 people that were given these national awards, I think 440 of them need to be in prisons.”

Galadima emphasized that some of the recipients should not be parading themselves as people who deserve an honour. He complained that the purpose of the awards had been defeated, chiding President Buhari  for repeating the same action for which he criticized former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, accusing them ‘of giving awards, medals and national honours to people of doubtful characters.’

Galadima stated that national honours should be given to people with impeccable characters. According to Galadima, “Of what purpose is the honour? What is an honour for some of these people? It is a reward for the boys and you know General Muhammadu Buhari himself has severally accused Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, late President Musa Yar’Ádua and Goodluck Jonathan of giving awards, medals, and national honours to people of doubtful characters.

“Who is it among those that he gave these national honours have impeccable characters… These awards should be given to people who have retired with unblemished careers and have not been followed by either ICPC or EFCC.

“Better still, be given to those who died in national service. I will rather give it to a cook that knows how to cook better than give it to a recharge card seller turned trillionaire and that is my view.”

Galadima did not, however, identify any recipient who felt was not qualified for the national honours award given by the President last Thursday.

The recipients include political actors, traditional rulers, businessmen and women, and professionals.