President Muhammadu Buhari made a farewell speech to the nation on Sunday morning, a day prior to his departure from office.
Here are few takeaways from his speech.
1. Fulfilment about Nigeria’s rebirth
Buhari has expressed optimism about the level of commitment put towards rebirthing Nigeria.
“We have started the Nigeria Re-Birth by taking the initial critical steps” adding that, “I am convinced the incoming administration will quicken the pace of this walk to see a Nigeria that fulfills its destiny to be a great nation”.
2. Tinubu, best candidate Nigerians chose well
Buhari has described Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the best among the candidates who contested the 2023 presidential election.
According to him, Nigerians were right to elect Bola Tinubu as his successor and next president of the country.
“You are the best candidate among all the contestants and Nigerians have chosen well,” Buhari said.
3. Leaving Nigeria better than 2015
Buhari, has stated that his eight years in power have put the country in better shape than in 2015 when he assumed office.
According to him, the last eight years have been an exciting experience in my desire and commitment to see a Nigeria in which public goods and services are available, and accessible within a united, peaceful and secure nation.
“I am confident that I am leaving office with Nigeria better in 2023 than in 2015,” Buhari posited.
4. Nigeria’s Democracy allows aggrieved politicians to go to court
Buhari has said the Democracy Nigeria enjoys allows Parties and members to go to court when the perceive injustice.
“Our democracy provides for, allows and encourages seeking redress for perceived injustices, enabling some candidates and political parties that did not agree with the results to go to court.
“Irrespective of the outcome of the various cases, I urge all parties involved to accept the decision of our courts and join hands to build a better Nigeria,” the outgoing president said.
5. We argued and disagreed to make Nigeria better
Buhari has saluted the presidential candidates in the general election and their parties for believing in the country’s judicial system, taking their pleas to the court.
“I salute the doggedness and resilience of all the Presidential Candidates and their political parties for believing in our judicial system by taking their grievances with the election results to court.
“In the course of the campaigns, we had argued and disagreed on how to make Nigeria better but we never disagreed or had any doubts that Nigeria has to be better,” he said.
6. Salute and praises on Tinubu
Buhari has rain praises on the president elect, Tinubu on realisation of his dream as the president of the federal republic of Nigeria.
The outgoing president said in the statement, “To my brother, friend and fellow worker in the political terrain for the past ten years – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu -, I congratulate you on the realisation of your dream, which was propelled by a burning passion to put Nigeria amongst the leading nations of the world.”
“You have indeed worked for this day and God has crowned your efforts. I have no doubt that your passion for excellence, reliance on competence, fairness in relationships, commitment to equity, loyalty to the country and desire for Nigeria to be globally relevant would come through for you, under God’s guidance, as you lead our country to levels higher that I am leaving.
7. Your high expectations not misplaced, Buhari to Nigerians
Buhari has reassured Nigerians that their high expectations in him was not misplaced.
“This high expectation was not misplaced because, like the ordinary Nigerian, I had grown tired of watching the country progressively moving away from the path of correctness.
“Fellow Nigerians, on the strength of your overwhelming support for me and my political party, I started this journey with a great deal of promise and expectation from you. I never intended to be just politically correct but to do the correct things that will make meaningful impact on the lives of the common Nigerian.”
8. Leaving behind credible electoral process
Buhari has boosted about leaving behind credible electoral process.
“To ensure that our democracy remains resilient and our elected representatives remain accountable to the people, I am leaving behind an electoral process which guarantees that votes count, results are credible, elections are fair and transparent and the influence of money in politics reduced to the barest minimum. And Nigerians can elect leaders of their choice.
“We are already seeing the outcome of this process as it provided an even playing field where persons without any political God-Father or access to money defeated other well-resourced candidates, Buhari said.
