President Muhammadu Buhari says he can’t wait to be gone from Aso Rock Villa, the nation’s seat of power, when the curtains fall on his presidency on May 29, 2023.
79-year-old Buhari will complete a constitutionally permissible two-terms of eight years in office next year; and he’s previously stated that he will be retiring to his livestock farm.
When he received some governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), legislators and political leaders at his residence in his Daura country home, Katsina State, on Monday, Buhari restated that he can’t wait to exit office.
“I am eager to go. I can tell you it has been tough. I am grateful to God that people appreciate the personal sacrifices we have been making. I wish the person who is coming after me the very best,” he said.
The president added that he’s abandoned his base for too long. “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. It’s so far from everywhere and people should leave me alone. I have a better house in Kaduna, but Kaduna is too close to Abuja for me after I leave office. I will come here,” he chuckled.
Buhari added that the demands of the presidency is also taking its toll on his appointees, saying he recently had to sympathise with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, who had to be away from his family most of the time.
On his performance in office, Buhari claimed that relative to the resources available, and compared to the last administration, his administration has done very well in many areas, particularly in infrastructure.
Buhari rode to power in 2015 on the back of promises to rein-in endemic corruption, improve the economy, strengthen the local currency and stem widespread insecurity that has turned most of the northern region into a wasteland.
On his watch however, inflation has spiralled out of control, the Naira continues its depreciation downhill, corruption is still a thing and insecurity has worsened.