After May 29, Niger Republic’ll Defend Me If… — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari declared yesterday that if anyone come after him. after he left office, the people of Niger Republic will defend him.

He further claimed that he purposefully closed the country's land borders in order to push Nigerians to buy Nigerian-made items.

The President's proclamation, on the other hand, drew the ire of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, and the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, which labeled his posture as uncommitted to Nigeria and stated that Nigerians would not miss him when he leaves office.

But, speaking impromptu at the launching of the Nigeria Customs Service's new corporate headquarters in Abuja, Buhari claimed he was speaking his thoughts, reaffirming his stated vow to be far away from Abuja towards the end of his government.

"This is why, when I became President, my first visit was to Niger, Chad, and Cameroon because, for personal and national reasons, the neighborhood is very important," he stated.
"If you do not gain the trust and cooperation of your neighbors, you will be in trouble, as will your children and grandchildren."
"So it's a good thing I've made friends with my neighbors." I uttered these few words on my personal belief because I only have six days left. And I make every effort to stay as far away from Abuja as possible.

''Thank goodness I'm from a place far distant from Abuja. I remarked that if somebody compels me, Niger people will defend me since I have an excellent relationship with my neighbors."

The President stated that he blocked the country's land borders in order to encourage Nigerians to produce food for their use, and that while the action was first criticized, Nigerians finally appreciated it.

While stressing the country's extensive borders, he stated that only God could protect the country from criminal activity.
"Please keep in mind that the distance from Lake Chad to Benin is more than 1,600 kilometers," he stated. Only God has the ability to successfully protect that border. So you'll need someone with the energy and expertise to effectively monitor it.
"I intentionally shut the borders because, knowing Nigerians, they order rice and give some Niger address and then bring the rice here."We have the ability. We praise God that Nigeria is endowed with people, territory, and weather. How many countries in the world are as fortunate as Nigeria?
"Very few countries are as fortunate as we are. We praise God for that.

''I said eat what you grow or grow what you eat or die. I believe I'm making my point. Nigerians will enjoy it later because it creates more jobs. People return to agriculture.
''We have the land, and they will generate the food we eat. And for those who believe our neighbors will lose, let us continue to stand with them. Those who produce additional rice should either eat it or sell it somewhere."
Buhari mentioned that he nominated Hameed Ali as Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, due to his expertise and skill, and that the late Sani Abacha, a former military ruler of state, assigned Ali "problematic" jobs.

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"As for Hameed Ali, I asked him to be in charge of Customs," he continued. Whatever people say about Sani Abacha, may his soul rest in peace.
"When he became president of this country, head of state, I knew him very well, and the most problematic area was around Kaduna." He chose Colonel Hameed Ali and blamed him for the troubles. My decision to bring Hameed Ali to Customs was premeditated. I brought Colonel Hameed Ali to give me peace of mind.

"The 100 percent hike in remuneration for officers and men of the service made them decisively less susceptible to corruption."
The President also stated that he nominated solely ladies as finance ministers due to cultural beliefs that individuals would feel too big to go to them for favors.

The president got very personal when he said that he had to relocate to Kaduna after his incarceration for his children's health and education.

"I lost my first two children, a girl and my first son, Musa." .We were technically unaware of it, despite the fact that we were vulnerable to it in general in Africa. So I had to relocate to Kaduna for my children's education and healthcare."

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali, retd, stated in his address that the contract for the building, which was originally granted at N2.8 billion in 2005, went through various changes.

Based on him, the building was rebuilt and expanded to conform with Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA requirements, raising the contract cost to N9.6 billion in 2012 and N19.6 billion later in 2022.

Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, responded to Buhari's statement yesterday, saying it was a sad judgment on his administration and that Nigerians would not miss him after he leaves office.
Chief Sola Ebiseni, General Secretary of Afenfere, stated, "As I said in a recent interview, the only thing Nigerians are expecting from Buhari is his exit, so all this dry comic banter is meaningless."
''It is a sad indictment on his government that he could pull the African behemoth and the great Commander-in-Chief of West Africa to its knees before the boys, even seeking personal shelter, through ECOMOG."It is sad that the President is unconcerned that his feet are still stained with the blood of citizens as he steps out.

''Everything promised - improved security, economics, and anti-corruption - went far worse than before. Let him go wherever he wants; Nigerians would not miss him.

Reacting as well. Dr Bitrus Pogu, National President of the Middle Belt Forum, said: "I recall him saying some time ago that if Nigerians disturb him after he leaves office, he will relocate to Niger Republic."

"This latest statement implies that he meant what he said previously, namely that he would relocate if disturbed." It merely demonstrates that he is not devoted to the Nigerian state and that his loyalty resides elsewhere. And it is sad that Nigerians elected a president who ruled them for eight years. So, the next time we select someone, we must think carefully.

"Today, we have someone who is also suspected of having dual citizenship." He is supposed to have Nigerian and Guinean citizenship, or whatever it is. Where will his loyalty be in such case? Will he be completely devoted to Nigeria?

"As a result, Nigerians must judge their leaders based on who they are and who they might become based on their behavior."It is sad that, rather than retracting his previous statements, President Buhari has re-emphasized that he will be defended by people outside of Nigeria.


The Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, responded by saying the President's statement simply verified past assumptions about his ties with the people of Niger Republic.

Ken Robinson, PANDEF's National Publicity Secretary, stated, "PANDEF does not believe such a statement was made by President Muhammadu Buhari." Perhaps the remark was made on his behalf by someone else.

"However, if the outgoing President of Nigeria made such a statement, it validates the speculations and insinuations that have arisen as a result of his attitude and disposition toward some of the neighboring countries, particularly Niger Republic, where the Nigerian government was attempting to construct a railway from Nigeria to Niger."

"In fact, some people were attempting to locate a refinery in the Niger Republic." It confirms the outgoing president's rumored ties to that country.

The Northern Elders' Forum, NEF, also reacted Friday night, calling President Muhammadu Buhari's words "unpresidential." The Forum also said the comment was a validation of its past warnings about his leadership, not just a lousy attempt at sarcasm to dismiss national unhappiness with his chronic misrule. Alhaji Nastura Sharif, NEF's Director of Youth and Mobilisation, stated, "This remark by Buhari is not only 'unpresidential,' but also a vindication of what we have been pointing out all along."

"We have multiple instances, long before the elections that brought him to office, that Buhari don't have the required skill, capacity and competence to lead the country.

"That is now history, and everyone is aware that Buhari has never had the national interest at heart beyond showmanship."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Jenny Young

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