Peoples’ Mandate’ll Prevail in 2023, I won’t Favour Anyone – Buhari Assures Nigerians
POLITICS DIGEST – President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he will not favour any politician in 2023, promising to give Nigerians a free, fair and credible election.
President Buhari spoke on Tuesday morning when Secretary to Federal Government, Mr. Boss Mustapha, and some of his aides and assistants went to present a birthday card to him to mark his 77th birthday anniversary at the State House in Abuja.
The President admonished politicians who intend to vie for forces in the next general elections in 2023 to start working hard to merit the trust of the people, warning that he would not allow bending the rules for anyone against the will of Nigerians.
He, however, charged members of his political party, saying whoever wants to contest must work hard as he will not condone anyone using the name of his office to canvass for support.
He said he would be employing the services of security agencies to ensure that coming elections in the country are done according to the rules, adding that no one would be allowed to use the influence his own office nor the resources of his state to foist himself on the people of his constituency.
“What I want to promise Nigerians is that I will work very hard on free and fair elections. All those that are going to succeed in the National Assembly and the Presidency have to work very hard because I will make sure, using the law enforcement agencies, that elections are free and fair. Nobody will use his office or resources to force himself on his constituencies”, he assured.
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On his message to the corrupt elements and economic saboteurs, President Buhari said he had come to learn to follow the democratic system as it comes, noting that it is far different from the military system.
“I have learned in a hard way, when I came in uniform, I collected those who were leading, took them to Kirikiri and told them that they were guilty until they could prove themselves innocent. I put committees, based on geopolitical zones, to investigate them. Those that were found to have lived beyond their means, the balance was taken and given to the state.
“But I myself was arrested, detained and they were given back what they had stolen. However, under this system, which is supposed to be more accountable, it is too slow for my liking, but I have to follow it.
“I think I’ve come to accept the realities of leadership in Nigeria; you can only try. It’s a terrific country, no matter what you do, there are people who are on daily basis looking for your fault and go to the press with it. You have to learn to live by that”, he said.
He admonished Nigerians to learn to be patient with the state even as he called all to be patriotic, saying “patience and patriotism, that’s what we see as rule, nobody can have his own way. We have to accept that as Nigerians we’ll keep on building. God has blessed us with land, people and other resources, we must learn the patience to exploit them and leave something for the future generations.
Asked how he felt as he clocked 77 years, the President said “at 77, I feel well. If you have played Tombola before, it’s about crutches, many of those who are 77 years old are on crutches, but I am on my two feet”.
