President Muhammadu Buhari has said that no one will use the country’s resources to rig the 2023 elections.
According to him, being a democratic President, he learned the hard way since the democratic process was so sluggish in punishing whoever had stolen Nigeria’s resources.
He disclosed this as some of his aides and staff of the State House, the Permanent Secretary, State House, Jalal Arabi and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha presented to him a birthday card to celebrate his 77th birthday anniversary in his home, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He added that as President in Nigeria, there will always be people looking for his fault, so he is prepared to accept it and live by it.
His words, “I think I have come to accept the realities of leadership in Nigeria, you can only try, it is a terrific country. No matter what you do, there are people on daily basis that look for your faults and go to the press, so you have to learn to live by that.”
On his birthday gift to Nigerians, “Patience and patriotism, that is what we see as rule. Nobody can have his own way, we better accept the truth that we are one Nigerians, we keep on building. God has blessed us with land and people and resources. We must have the patience to exploit them and leave something for our future generations.”
“What I want to promise Nigerians that I will work very hard on is free and fair election.
“All those that are going to succeed in the National Assembly and the Presidency, they better work very hard because I will make sure, using the law enforcement agencies that elections are free and fair, nobody uses his office or his resources to force himself on his constituency.”
“Well, like I said, I have learned in the hard way. When I came in uniform, I collected those who were leading, took them to Kirikiri and told them they were guilty until they could prove themselves innocent.
“I put, based on almost all the geopolitical zones Committees (Military Tribunal) to investigate them. Those that were found to have lived beyond their means, the balance were taken and were given to the states. But I myself was arrested, detained.
“So, under this system which is supposed to be more accountable, but it is too slow for my liking, but I have to follow it.”
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