While speaking at a state banquet on Monday night, put together in his honour in the city of Damaturu, Yobe State capital, President Muhammadu Buhari said, Nigerians “must stay to salvage it together”.
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| President Muhammadu Buhari in Damaturu, Yobe State |
At the event, President Buhari said, with God’s help, Boko Haram has been cleared in the North East and that “the economy has picked up” in the region.
The President also admitted “fighting corruption is not easy”, saying he “locked up people who couldn’t explain the differences in their assets”.
President Buhari said: ‘‘as I said more than 30 years ago, we have no other country than Nigeria, we must all stay here and salvage it together.
‘‘In the North East, God has helped us to clear Boko Haram, the economy has picked up and some people are asking me about the achievements of my promise to fight corruption.
‘‘Well, under this system fighting corruption is not easy. When I was in the military, as Head of State, I locked up some people because the Constitution says you must declare your assets and people who couldn’t explain the differences in their assets, I locked them up.
‘‘In the end, I was also locked up. So, if you want to serve this country you must be prepared for the worst. But one thing that I am grateful to God for is that nobody can blackmail me. I do not have one-square inch outside Nigeria and I intend to stay in Nigeria when I retire from public office.
‘‘Between 2003 and 2019, I visited all the local government areas in this country. In 2019 when I attempted a re-election, I visited every State and the number of people that came out to see who this Buhari is and was is more than what anybody can pay or force.
‘‘So, I thank God that Nigerians understood me and I made a promise that I will serve God and Nigerians.’’
