I’ve Been Counting The Days To Hand Over–Buhari

Posted by Rotimi Fadeyi Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, May 26th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he had been counting the days to hand over government to the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Buhari spoke at the launching of a book, which chronicles significant achievements of his administration from 2015-2023.

He said, “I assure you, I have been counting the days, I am looking forward to Monday very desperately. I will use the weekend to sign some of the papers so that from Eagles Square, I will fly to Kaduna and eventually go to Daura.

According to him, he was surprised that the book titled “A promise kept, a compendium of significant achievements of Muhammadu Buhari administration 2015-2023” was written and slated for launch to honour him before leaving office.

He said, “I think by my profession I spent most of my time that is the military for 20 years, there wasn’t this surprise. If you allow yourself to be taken by surprise you will be virtually overwhelmed.

“I wasn’t expecting this honestly, especially today when I need to sign few papers because I know on Monday, from the swearing in venue I will fly directly to Kaduna and then I will go to the other side of Nigeria.

“Thank you for surprising me with your generosity and kindness. I think the achievement we wanted is to ensure we developed a firm political culture.

“I think I was expecting too much. When I was in Doha, meeting some heads of states, I was getting calls from Europe, America and Nigeria, congratulating us on the success of elections.

According to him, “the opposition has created the impression outside the country that we are going into a mess because we have incompetent leadership of the party.

“They were overwhelmed that the election came and went and both at the center and at the states, fantastic”

“How can 10 sitting governors of states loss their constituencies, this has been unprecedented.

“So I congratulate you the national working committee and others here, that we have really proved that democracy is worth defending.

“Nigerians have understood it now, otherwise how can they vote against their sitting governors stopping them from going to the senate to rest.

“So they were really overwhelmed and I congratulate our politically development. Please congratulate your constituencies, it means that even though you have excess money, they will collect and put in their pockets but they will elect the person they trust from any constituency, either House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate until it comes to the president itself.

“Because, it was so transparent, everything was done there in front of everybody. And committee by committee from various constituencies lined up and picked the candidate they want.

“So really, we have virtually politically arrived. I congratulate our party”, he stated.

Buhari further said, “today, we prayed together with Asiwaju and I congratulated him and I said I am eager to go to other side of Nigeria. I wish him the best of luck.

“I said his Vice President is experienced, a two time governor in his state and then the senate. And this is how we got their chairman of our party, two time governor in his state and also he has been in the senate.

“So they are people are really from the bottom of the system to the top. When you get experienced people to be in charge, taking important decision, they will always reflect on their experiences and they can hardly go wrong. So I congratulate you and our party”

“I thank you very much for this major surprise, I think now when I go back I will have time to read some books not just about myself but about other issues”, he added.