I’m leaving Nigeria better than I met it, Buhari declares

By Egena Sunday Ode

Outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that the Nigeria he would be leaving behind on Monday, after handing over the reins of government to Ahmed Bola Tinubu, is far better than what he met in 2015 when he assumed power. Buhari stated this in a farewell speech on Sunday to mark his exit from office after eight years as president.

“I am confident that I am leaving office with Nigeria better in 2023 than in 2015,” he said. Specifically, President Buhari said he was leaving behind a credible 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

“Fellow Nigerians, on the strength of your overwhelming support for me and my political party, I started this journey with a great deal of promise and expectation from you. I never intended to be just politically correct but to do the correct things that will make meaningful impact on the lives of the common Nigerian.

“This high expectation was not misplaced because, like the ordinary Nigerian, I 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 God-Father or access to money defeated other well-resourced candidates.”

On the economic front, the outgoing President noted that the nation’s economy under his watch had become more resilient enabling the poor and the rural dwellers to earn a leaving and supporting women and the youth to put their skill into productive use.

He said: “The Nigerian economy has become more resilient due to the various strategies put in place to ensure that our economy remained afloat during cases of global economic downturns.

“You would all recall the supply chain disruptions and economic downturn that the world witnessed between 2020 and 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The deftness of our response to the pandemic still remains a global best practice.

“Furthermore, we increased the ability of the poor and rural Nigerians to earn a living, provided more food for millions in our villages and gave our women opportunities to earn a living.

“Young men and women in urban centres were also supported to put their skills into productive use. Our administration also provided an enabling environment for the private sector to engage in businesses for which their return on investments is guaranteed.

“The private sector proved a strong partner in our drive to build a resilient and sustainable economy as evidenced by the growing number of turn-key projects in various sectors of the economy. “

Buhari also noted that his administration in the course of revamping the economy, made some difficult choices, most of which, according ro him, yielded the desired results.

He regretted, however, that some of the measures led to temporary pain and suffering for which he apologised, adding that the measures were taken for the over-all good of the country.

The outgoing President also stated that his adminstration had significantly addressed the precarious security situation in the country, saying that as he would be leaving office, banditry, terrorism and armed robbery among others had been dealt a devastating blow.

Chairman Lisa Suites, Arch. Barka Mshelia (L); Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (Rtd),(3rd L) and others during the grand opening and commissioning of Lisa Suites, at the Weekend in Abuja.

“Our battle to ensure that all Nigerians live in a safe and secure environment has 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.

On the fight against corruption, Buhari said: “you know how dear the desire in my heart is, to rid the country of corrupt practices that had consistently diminished our efforts to be a great country.

“I did pursue this commitment relentlessly, in spite of the expected push back. 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 common wealth.”