A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, says 98 per cent of the awardees for the different national honours ought to be in jail because of the allegations of corruption that have been leveled against them.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday in the State House, Abuja, conferred national honours on 440 Nigerians and seven Non-Nigerians.
The national recognition was given to people across different sections of the country, including politicians, business men and women, public servants and others.
Galadima, in his reaction on a television programme on Friday, slammed the President for giving honours to those he described as undeserved Nigerians.
He alleged that 440 out of the total 447 people honoured were of questionably characters and should be in jail.
In his words, “He said, “When you say Buba Galadinma, did you use engineer, Alhaji or whatsoever? I have never taken a chieftaincy title and even the Galadima, if I have my way and if not that it is on my school certificates from primary to university level, I could have dropped the word (Galadima) because that is a traditional title and I don’t need it.
“Let me tell you, of the 447 people that were given these national awards, I think 440 of them need to be in prisons rather than parading themselves as people who deserved an honour. 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? for me, 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.”
