Buhari tells visiting Sallah delegation that he cannot wait to leave office and return to Daura

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that he cannot wait to retire to his country home in Daura in Katsina State as the countdown towards the end of his tenure begins with elections looming in February.

Early next year, Nigerians will go to the polls to elect a new president, who will be sworn-in in May and all the country's political parties have already selected their candidates. Sharing his thoughts with governors and political leaders who paid him a Sallah homage yesterday, President Buhari lamenting the fact that he had not been to his house in Daura for close to a year due to the demands of office. 

President Buhari added: “The observation that I abandoned my base was made by the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar Faruk, at the eid prayer ground.  He held the microphone and told everyone that the last time I was in Daura was during the Eid-el-Kabir of 2021.

 “In 10 to 11 months time, I will come here. I have a better house in Kaduna but it is too close to Abuja.” 

He also explained that he recently had to sympathise with foreign minister Geoffrey Onyema, who had to be away most of the time from his family. According to President Buhari, relative to the resources available and compared to the last administration, the government had done well in many areas, particularly in infrastructure and wished the person coming after him in office the very best. 

President Buhari said: “I am eager to go. I can tell you it has been tough but I am grateful to God that people appreciate the personal sacrifices we have been making.”

On security, the president said the northwest had posed more challenges, while some success had been recorded in other regions of northeast and the south-south geo-political zones. He, however, advised indigenes in the south-south to stop hurting national assets, which he said also affect their livelihoods.