I cannot wait to leave Aso Rock Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari says he intends to return home and become a “big landlord,” working on his farms and caring for his more than 300 animals.
“I am eager to go,” Buhari said Tuesday at the State House in Abuja, after receiving outgoing US Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard.
He stated that when given the opportunity for a free and fair election as well as non-interference, as seen in the February 25 and March 18 elections, Nigerians demonstrated their ability to choose who led them without being told what to do.
He expressed satisfaction with Nigerians’ remarkable commitment to democracy demonstrated by their votes in the 2023 general elections.
According to the president’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, Nigeria’s democracy has truly matured.
“People are realizing their power,” he stated. Nobody can tell them what to do if they have the opportunity to vote in a free and fair election. I’m disappointed that some candidates were defeated in the election.
“However, I am inspired by the fact that voters were able to make their own decisions about who won and who lost. There was no money to distribute due to the currency change, but I told voters to take the money and vote according to their consciences.”
He stated that he was completely satisfied with his own role in the election process, remaining above it and free of meddling or interference.
He praised the outgoing ambassador for the enormous progress made in Nigeria-US relations over the past three and a half years.
He expressed hope that Nigeria would continue to make strides toward forming a nation from our diverse and competitive communities.
The president stated that he enjoyed working with Leonard and wished she could spend more time here.
Previously, Leonard had named the elimination of fuel subsidies as one of the most important decisions Buhari could make before leaving office on May 29.
She expressed her satisfaction with the progress made in Nigeria-US relations over the last three and a half years, citing the recent establishment of a five-year visa regime between the two countries; active collaboration in security and the supply of military hardware, including warplanes and the soon-to-be fighter helicopters; and cooperation in the health sector to combat HIV and COVID response, assuring that the US will continue to assist in the strengthening of the response.
She expressed her and the US government’s appreciation for the President’s continued role in ensuring regional security and strengthening democracy as a system of government, praising his strong response to the recent surge of coups in West Africa.
(TNT)
