President Muhammadu Buhari has
relieved his experiences following his serial contest for the seat of the
president, noting that his prayers were answered through the use of card
readers for the 2015 elections.
The president said this in an
interview with PREMIUM TIMES, published in its Special Print Edition.
Asked what was the lessons from
his persistence in running for the office of president for four consecutive
times before he eventually won, the president said he had learnt that it was
necessary to entrust “everything to God, who knows the time he has set for all
things.”
“When the time He (God) had set
for me came, He used technology to bring me in,” he said.
“The card reader made it
impossible for those in power to write fictitious results as they had always
done.”
Mr Buhari said having been
elected for a second term in office, he would prioritise three fundamental
areas, namely, security, economy, and the fight against corruption.
He, however, said he would also
ensure the creation of jobs, and focus on power generation, infrastructure,
healthcare, technology, a new curriculum for education with an emphasis on
science, empowering of people at the lower rungs of the ladder through People
Moni Bank, catering for entrepreneurs through Entrepreneurs Bank, more
opportunities for women and youth, and many others.
“All these will translate to good
legacies, which will put Nigerians firmly at the Next Level, along with clean
elections, which I mentioned earlier,” he said.
Security
On security, the President
disagreed that some of the promises he made in 2015, especially
to curtail insecurity, had largely remained unfulfilled.
“Yes, I made all those promises
in 2015, and work is in progress on them. To say the problems remain, without
admitting that they are not exactly in the same way and shape they used to be,
would not be quite right,” he said.
“Corruption, power, Boko Haram
insurgency, employment generation, reviving the economy, are all being tackled.
And we are making progress.
“Part of why we asked for a
second term, which our constitution allows, is to ensure that we put all these
things on solid footings. And that, we shall do.”
‘Reformed democrat’
Mr Buhari said he was now a
“reformed democrat” having learnt from the democratic process in the last 20
years.
He noted that democracy was the
path Nigerians have chosen and that Nigerians democracy was growing and would
continue to grow.
According to Mr Buhari, the
country had fared better since the last four years in the areas of economy and
the reduction in corruption.
On the political front, Mr Buhari
said with many elections being held at the state levels, it had been
demonstrated that the party in power did not have to win by hook or crook.
“It didn’t use to be so, because
elections did or die then. But we are engendering a new culture in which the
will and wishes of the people are respected. That is part of the legacies I
want to leave for the country. Clean Elections,” he said.
On his failure to change his
security chiefs despite the failing security situation in the country, Mr
Buhari said the crisis was not one that needed a change of personnel.
“I can assure that these mass
killings will soon be behind us. The exact strategy or approach is not
something for media discussion,” he said.
Sai baba, when it’s your time, it’s your time.. Now take us to next level
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