* Salutes Tinubu’s courage, says he’s the best to succeed him
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has again apologised to Nigerians over steps taken by his administration in the last eight years to revamp the nation’s economy.
Buhari had in late April asked Nigerians hurt by his policies for forgiveness.
In a farewell broadcast to Nigerians earlier today the outgoing President boasted that his government made considerable progress in the fight against corruption through reforms implementation.
While expressing happiness that he is leaving Nigeria better than it was in 2015, President Buhari charged political stakeholders to accept the outcome of all court cases associated with the 2023 general election.
The president also hailed the courage of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, whom he described as his political friend of 10 years, saying he is the best candidate to succeed him.
In the speech, which Buhari described as his last assignment as a democratically-elected President of Nigeria, the outgoing President noted that the 2023 presidential election was the most keenly contested presidential election since the First Republic, describing it as a demonstration that Nigeria’s democracy was getting better and more entrenched with each election.
“We must as a nation improve and sustain gains we make in the electoral process, on an incremental basis for Nigeria to take its rightful place among Nations.
“Our democracy provides for, allows, and encourages seeking redress for perceived injustices, enabling some candidates and political parties that did not agree with the results to go to court.
“Irrespective of the outcome of the various cases, I urge all parties involved to accept the decision of our courts and join hands to build a better Nigeria,” Buhari explained.
He saluted what he described as the doggedness and resilience of all the presidential candidates and their political parties for believing in the judicial system by taking their grievances with the election results to the court.
“In the course of the campaigns, we had argued and disagreed on how to make Nigeria better but we never disagreed or had any doubts that Nigeria has to be better,” he added.
“As your President, I call on all of us to bear the strength of our individualism, the power of our unity, the convictions of our beliefs to make Nigeria work better and together with one spirit and one purpose.
“To my brother, friend, and fellow worker in the political terrain for the past ten years – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu -, I congratulate you on the realisation of your dream, which was propelled by a burning passion to put Nigeria amongst the leading nations of the world.
“You have indeed worked for this day and God has crowned your efforts. I have no doubt that your passion for excellence, reliance on competence, fairness in relationships, commitment to equity, loyalty to the country and desire for Nigeria to be globally relevant would come through for you, under God’s guidance, as you lead our country to levels higher that I am leaving.
“You are the best candidate among all the contestants and Nigerians have chosen well,” Buhari explained.
The outgoing president described the last eight years as an exciting experience in his desire and commitment to see a Nigeria in which public goods and services are available, and accessible within a united, peaceful, and secure nation.
President Buhari noted that he started this journey with a great deal of promise and expectation from Nigerians, adding that he never intended to be just politically correct but to do the correct things that would make a meaningful impact on the lives of the common Nigerian.
He stated the high expectation was not misplaced because, like the ordinary Nigerian, he had grown tired of watching the country progressively moving away from the path of correctness.
“To ensure that our democracy remains resilient and our elected representatives remain accountable to the people, I am leaving behind an electoral process, which guarantees that votes count, results are credible, elections are fair and transparent and the influence of money in politics reduced to the barest minimum. And Nigerians can elect leaders of their choice.
“We are already seeing the outcome of this process as it provided an even playing field where persons without any political godfather or access to money defeated other well-resourced candidates,” he explained.
The Nigerian economy, he said, has become more resilient due to the various strategies put in place to ensure that the economy remained afloat during cases of global economic downturns.
President Buhari recalled the supply chain disruptions and economic downturn that the world witnessed between 2020 and 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He declared that the deftness of the response of his government to the pandemic remains a global best practice.
He also stated that his administration increased the ability of the poor and rural Nigerians to earn a living, provided more food for millions in the villages, and gave women opportunities to earn a living.
According to him, young men and women in urban centres were also supported to put their skills into productive use, adding also that his administration also provided an enabling environment for the private sector to engage in businesses for which their return on investments is guaranteed.
He noted that the private sector proved a strong partner in his government’s drive to build a resilient and sustainable economy as evidenced by the growing number of turn-key projects in various sectors of the economy.
“In the course of revamping the economy, we made some difficult choices, most of which yielded the desired results. Some of the measures led to temporary pain and suffering for which I sincerely apologised to my fellow countrymen, but the measures were taken for the overall good of the country,” he said.
Speaking on his efforts to provide adequate infrastructure to drive economic growth, the outgoing president disclosed that his administration completed age-long projects and processes.
He identified some of his accomplishments to include the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the completion of some power projects, the completion of the Second Niger Bridge, and various important roads linking cities and states.
He also noted that his administration’s battle to ensure that all Nigerians live in a safe and secure environment achieved considerable results.
“As I complete my term in office, we have been able to reduce the incidences of banditry, terrorism, armed robbery, and other criminal activities considerably,” he said.
President Buhari stated that to sustain the gains made so far, all Nigerians should be more vigilant and support the security agencies by ensuring that core values defined by being brothers’ keepers govern all actions.
“Up-till now, I still grieve for our children still in captivity, mourn with parents, friends, and relatives of all those that lost loved ones in the days of the senseless brigandage and carnage. For all those under unlawful captivity our security agencies are working round the clock to secure their release unharmed,” he added.
He further stated that he was determined to rid the country of corrupt practices that had consistently diminished her efforts to be a great country.
“I did pursue this commitment relentlessly, despite the expected pushback. I am happy that considerable progress had been made in repatriating huge sums of money back to the country and also taken over properties illegally acquired from our commonwealth,” he said.
Buhari also claimed that Nigeria’s influence has continued to grow on the international scene as exemplified by notable Nigerians occupying headship and leadership positions in renowned global bodies.
He noted that Nigeria’s democracy has continued to thrive on the principles of separation of powers.
The outgoing president commended the leadership and members of the National Assembly for their patriotism which did not detract from their roles as a check to the executive arm.
“I also want to use this opportunity to express my appreciation to a good number of Nigerians who provided their support and encouragement to help me navigate the exciting journey of moving Nigeria forward.
“I cannot and will not forget the millions who prayed for me during my illness in my first term of office. I am constantly praying for you and for Nigeria to thrive in peace.
“As I retire home to Daura, Katsina State, I feel fulfilled that we have started the Nigeria Re-Birth by taking the initial critical steps and I am convinced the in-coming administration will quicken the pace of this walk to see a Nigeria that fulfills its destiny to be a great nation.
‘I am confident that I am leaving office with Nigeria better in 2023 than in 2015,” Buhari added.
