President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigerians have proven to be capable of deciding who leads them without anyone telling them what to do, given the chance of a free and fair election and non-interference as was witnessed in the 2023 elections.
President Buhari who expressed satisfaction with the remarkable passion towards democracy exhibited by Nigerians through the choices they made in the Presidential, National Assembly and the subsequent Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, said Nigeria’s democracy has truly matured.
He said; “People are realising their power. Given the chance of a free and fair vote, nobody can tell them what to do.
“I am unhappy that some candidates lost in the election. But I am inspired by the fact that voters were able to make their own decision, to decide who won and who lost. With the currency change, there was no money to spread around but even then, I told voters to take the money and vote according to their consciences.”
President Buhari was speaking on Tuesday at a farewell meeting with the outgoing United States Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard at the State House in Abuja.
He said he was “completely satisfied with his role in the election process staying above it, without any form of interference.”
The President commended the outgoing Ambassador for the enormous achievements recorded in Nigeria-US relations in the three-and-half years she had been here.
He chronicled several challenges faced by Nigeria as the country strives to unite our diverse communities and achieve national development and expressed his appreciation of the way the United States can hold together as a nation.
Nation building
President Buhari expressed the hope that Nigeria would continue to make progress in building a nation out of her different and competitive communities.
He stressed that he enjoyed working with the Ambassador and wished that she had more time to serve here.
In an answer to a question posed by Ambassador Leonard, President Buhari said he planned to be a “big landlord” back at home at the end of his tenure, working his farms and tending his more than 300 animals. “I am eager to go,” the President said.
The American Ambassador said she was happy with the progress made in Nigeria-US relations in these three–and–half years, specifically citing the recent institution 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-come fighter helicopters; Cooperation in the health sector to fight HIV and Covid response.
She promised that US would continue to assist in strengthening Nigeria’s health sector.
Ambassador Leonard expressed her gratitude and that of the US government for the continuing role of the President in ensuring regional security and strengthening democracy as a system of government, citing his strong response against the recent surge of coups-d’état in West Africa as worthy of commendation.
She expressed hope that even as he is preparing to leave, there are still a few more things the President could do, among which she mentioned, the urgent need to remove fuel subsidy.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
