I’m looking forward to becoming former president, says Buhari

 

President Muhamamdu Buhari has disclosed that he is looking forward to when he will hand over the baton to the next president in 2023 and be addressed as a former president.

The president said this on Thursday while speaking during a courtesy visit to the palace of Emir of Lafia, retired Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad 1, in Nassarawa State.

During the visit, Buhari also reaffirmed that he has no intention whatsoever to stay beyond the constitutionally recognised two terms of office as leader of Nigeria.

Taking cognisance of the oath of office, the president warned that leaders who swore by the Holy Book must be careful not to abuse the trust of leadership placed on them by the people and God.

”The traditional ruler is on a terminal appointment. Constitutionally, we (elected public office holders) are not. I cannot go beyond two terms and I have sworn by the Holy Quran that I will uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

”Politics apart, whenever we are made to swear by the Holy Quran, we have to be very careful. We must make sure that we do not abuse the trust God has given us as leaders.

”I have seen former governors here and I am looking forward to also becoming a former President,” Buhari was quoted to have said in a statement by spokesman, Femi Adesina, titled, ‘President Buhari: Leaders Who Swear by The Holy Book Must Not Abuse Public Office’.

Welcoming the president to the over 200-year old palace, the Emir of Lafia thanked him for ending the problem of insufficient power to Nasarawa state with the provision of 330kVA sub-station.

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The Emir, who is also the Chairman, Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, told the president that the provision of the electricity plant ”has taken out 80 percent of our problem.”

”Our people have never had it so good. Our people are back to their normal life as entrepreneurs, ” he said, adding that the Federal Government projects that were ”standing as ghosts” in the state in the past have now become a reality.

The retired jurist listed the newly inaugurated CBN Building in Lafia, the Federal Secretariat, UBEC Smart School and completed Ecological projects, just to mention but a few.