By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
“I am looking forward to Monday very desperately. I will use the weekend to sign some of the papers so that from Eagles Square, I will fly to Kaduna and eventually go to Daura.”
With these words, President Muhammadu Buhari left nobody in doubt that he is retiring from public service when he bows out of power after the mandatory swearing in of the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Eagle Square Abuja on Monday.
The President made the statement at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja during the launch of a book titled: A Promise Kept, a compendium of significant achievements of Muhammadu Buhari administration from 2015 to 2023.
Speaking from the heart, Buhari took the audience down the memory lane from when he was in the military as a young officer through his journey in politics, saying that he was surprised for the book on his administration.
Said he: “I think by my profession I spent most of my time that is the military for 20 years, there wasn’t this surprise. If you allow yourself to be taken by surprise you will be virtually overwhelmed.
“I wasn’t expecting this honestly. Especially today (Friday) when I need to sign few papers because I know on Monday, from the swearing in venue I will fly directly to Kaduna and then I will go to the other side of Nigeria.
“Thank you for surprising me with your generosity and kindness. I think the achievement we wanted is to make.. we developed a firm political culture.
“I think I was expecting too much. When I was in Doha, meeting some heads of states, I was getting calls from Europe, America and Nigeria, congratulating us on the success of elections”.
Speaking further Buhari said: “The opposition has created the impression outdid the country that we are going into a mess because we have incompetent leadership of the party.
“They were overwhelmed that the election came and went and both at the center and at the states, fantastic. How can 10 sitting governors of states loss their constituencies, this has been unprecedented.
“So I congratulate you the National Working Committee and others here, that we have really proved that democracy is worth defending.
“Nigerians have understood it now, otherwise how can they vote against their sitting governors stopping them from going to the senate to rest.
“So they were really overwhelmed and I congratulate our politically development. Please congratulate your constituencies, it means that even though you have excess money, they will collect and put in their pockets but they will elect the person they trust from any constituency, either House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate until it comes to the president itself.
Because, it was so transparent, everything was done there in front of everybody.
“And committee by committee from various constituencies lined up and picked the candidate they want. So really, we have virtually politically arrived. I congratulate our party”.
The President who specifically spoke about his commitment to the execution of the Presidential Transition Programme gave the update where things are as at the time of this report.
“Today, we prayed together with Asiwaju and I congratulated him and I said I am eager to go to other side of Nigeria. I wish him the best of luck.
“I said his Vice President is experienced, a two time governor in his state and then the senate. And this is how we got their chairman of our party, two time governor in his state and also he has been in the senate.
“So they are people are really from the bottom of the system to the top. When you get experienced people to be in charge, taking important decision, they will always reflect on their experiences and they can hardly go wrong. So I congratulate you and our party.
“I thank you very much for this major surprise, I think now when I go back I will have time to read some books not just about myself but about other issues.
“I assure you, I have been counting the days, I am looking forward to Monday very desperately. I will use the weekend to sign some of the papers so that from Eagles Square, I will fly to Kaduna and eventually go to Daura. Thank you very much”, Buhari concluded.
