President Muhammadu Buhari says he intends to stay as far
away as possible from Abuja, the nation’s capital city, when he leaves office
on May 29, 2023.
Speaking on Sunday while hosting the federal capital
territory (FCT) residents on Christmas homage, the president said he made the
decision to stay away to avoid problems.
The visit was led by Mohammed Bello, minister of the FCT.
Buhari is to hand over to another elected president after the elections in 2023. He has served for two successive terms.
Reiterating his plans, the president said he intends to
retire to his hometown in Daura, Katsina state.
“Thank you very much for taking the time to come and visit
me and I congratulate you on this great day (Christmas),” Buhari said.
“I have promised a lot of my colleagues that I will try and
be as far away as possible from Abuja when I leave office so that nobody can
create any problem for me anymore.
“I will be in Daura,
which is on the border with the Niger Republic, and I think in spite of
technology, I will be safe enough there.”
He further extended his appreciation to Nigerians for
trusting, supporting, and allowing him to serve as their leader.
According to the president,
while campaigning for the position in 2003, he took his time to visit
the 774 local government areas of the country and got overwhelming support from
the people.
“I thank God that before the 2019 elections, I went around
the whole of the states from 2003 to 2011.
I went to all the local governments in this country and I thank
Nigerians. The people who turned up in every local government were more than
what anyone could buy,” he added.
“So, I was pleased
with the way Nigerians highly treated me and accepted me. In five months, I will
happily retire according to the provisions of the constitution of the country
and go back home.”
Speaking on behalf of the delegates, Bello said it has
become mandatory for a delegation of residents of the territory to pay homage
to the president during festivities like Christmas and Sallah because he is the
governor-general of the FCT.
“It is not surprising to pay such visits because
constitutionally, as the governor-general of the FCT, you are also the head of
the administration of the FCT but you have graciously delegated that to me.
Today marks a milestone for us because in 2020 and 2021 we could not pay such
visits due to the emergence of coronavirus,” the minister said.
“This also presents the last Christmas that we are going to
have an opportunity as residents of the FCT to come and pay you homage because
in five months, your tenure would have ended and the next Christmas will be
under a new president.
“So, we use this
opportunity to thank God almighty for having made it possible for us to witness
several Christmas celebrations under your leadership.
“I also, on behalf of the entire residents of the FCT, wish
you well and pray for God almighty to grant you long life, and a useful and
healthy retirement in the next few months. We want to also extend our
appreciation for what you have so far done for the country.”
On his part, Daniel Okoh, president of the Christian
Association of Nigeria, thanked God for sustaining Nigeria’s unity, as he
praised Buhari for working hard for the progress of Nigeria.
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