President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that he is eager to leave office in 2023.
Buhari on Monday told governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who visited him in Daura, Katsina State that the workload is enormous.
“I am eager to go. I can tell you it has been tough. I am grateful to God that people appreciate the personal sacrifices we have been making,” he added.
The President also expressed his preference to retire to Daura, his hometown rather than Kaduna.
The President told the governors that he had not been to his house in Daura for close to a year due to the demands of office.
“The observation that I abandoned my base was made by the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar Faruk, at the eid prayer ground. He held the microphone and told everyone that the last time I was in Daura was during the Eid-el-Kabir of 2021,” he added.
President Buhari said he would retire to Daura, not Kaduna, where he had a better house.
“In 10 to 11 months’ time, I will come here. I have a better house in Kaduna, but it is too close to Abuja,” he said.
The President explained that the schedule of work was much, saying he recently had to sympathise with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, who had to be away most of the time from his family.
Buhari urged the APC stalwarts to keep working for the good of the people and the country, noting that “We are a lucky people, and we need to reflect more on where we are coming from.”
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The President said relative to the resources available, and compared to the last administration, the government had done well in many areas, particularly in infrastructure.
“I wish the person who is coming after me the very best,” he said.
On security, the President said the North West had posed more challenges, and some success had been recorded in other regions, North East and South South.
Buhari advised some indigenes in the South South to stop hurting national assets, which also affect their livelihood.
APC Governors at the lunch with the President were Governors Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Malam Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa State), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), and Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano).
Others included Governors Fayemi Kayode (Ekiti), Simon Lalong (Plateau), and Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi).
President Buhari said resources should be channeled more into building infrastructure and operations of the health and educational sector, not to expand the bureaucracy to create job opportunities.
“By this time next year, I would have made the most out of the two terms, and the remaining months I will do my best,” the President noted.
President Buhari urged those in political positions and places of privilege to be mindful in helping the many Nigerians that were looking for opportunities.
“If you are greedy, you won’t look around to see what is happening with those who are less endowed,” he said.
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