2019 Polls: Why I Declared My Intentions Now – Buhari

Related stories

Trump announces new tariffs of up to 40% on a growing number of countries  

President Donald Trump cranked up the pressure Monday on...

OPEC+ to Complete Unwinding of Oil Output Cuts With Big September Hike

OPEC+ plans to fully unwind its 2.2 million...

Shettima Says Nigeria Not Interested in Pursuing Nuclear Weapons

By Abiola Olawale Vice President Kashim Shettima has reiterated Nigeria’s...

[VIDEO] First Class journalist-Scholar, Reuben Abati Blasts Wike Over Church Thanksgiving on Completed Projects

By Abiola Olawale Veteran international journalist, lawyer and first class...

Iranian President Accuses Israel of Failed Assassination Plot

By Abiola Olawale Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has made a...

President Muhammadu Buhari has explained why he declared his intentions to run for another term in office during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Receiving the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby in London Wednesday, President Buhari said:

“I declared before leaving home because Nigerians were talking too much about whether I would run or not. So, I felt I should break the ice. We have many things to focus on, like security, agriculture, economy, anti-corruption, and many others. We needed to concentrate on them, and politics should not be a distraction. The majority of Nigerians appreciate what we are doing, and that is why I am re-contesting.”

The President recounted some successes of the administration to his guest, with whom he has built a deep friendship in recent times, and was quite particular about strides in agriculture.

“We have cut the importation of rice by about 90%, saving billions of dollars in the process. People who rushed into petrol money have now gone back to agriculture. Even professionals have gone back to the land. Nigeria should be able to feed itself comfortably soon. I am so pleased,” the President said.

On the war against insurgency, he stressed the need for continuous education of the people, “so that they can be free from religious manipulation,” adding that no true religion advocates the hurting or killing of the innocent.

Responding to his guest’s comment on the clashes between herdsmen and farmers in different parts of Nigeria, the President submitted:

“The problem is even older than us. It has always been there, but now made worse by the influx of armed gunmen from the Sahel region into different parts of the West African sub-region. These gunmen were trained and armed by Muammar Gadaffi of Libya. When he was killed, the gunmen escaped with their arms. We encountered some of them fighting with Boko Haram. Herdsmen that we used to know carried only sticks and maybe a cutlass to clear the way, but these ones now carry sophisticated weapons. The problem is not religious, but sociological and economic. But we are working on solutions.”

President Buhari lamented that “irresponsible politics” has been brought into the farmers/herders’ crisis, but assured that enduring solutions would be found, and justice done to all concerned.

On Leah Sharibu, the schoolgirl from Dapchi still being held by insurgents, reportedly because she refused to renounce her Christian faith, the President said:

“We are managing the matter quietly. Making noise would not help. We are collecting as much intelligence as possible, working with the Red Cross and other international organizations. There are too many fraudulent people around, who claim they can do this and that. We won’t deal with them. That was how we got the Dapchi girls back, and the Chibok girls.”

Archbishop Welby said it was always a delight to see President Buhari, “whom I have tremendous respect for,” adding: “You have my best wishes on your recent decision. I read your declaration speech. We are neutral as a church, but we will pray for you. Great statesmen are those who run for the good of their country. We will be praying for you.”

The Archbishop presented President Buhari with a copy of his recent book, ‘Reimagining Britain. Foundations for Hope.’

Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa
Hamilton Nwosa is an experienced, and committed communication, business, administrative, data and research specialist . His deep knowledge of the intersection between communication, business, data, and journalism are quite profound. His passion for professional excellence remains the guiding principle of his work, and in the course of his career spanning sectors such as administration, tourism, business management, communication and journalism, Hamilton has won key awards. He is a delightful writer, researcher and data analyst. He loves team-work, problem-solving, organizational management, communication strategy, and enjoys travelling. He can be reached at: hamilton_68@yahoo.com

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Trump announces new tariffs of up to 40% on a growing number of countries  OPEC+ to Complete Unwinding of Oil Output Cuts With Big September HikeShettima Says Nigeria Not Interested in Pursuing Nuclear Weapons[VIDEO] First Class journalist-Scholar, Reuben Abati Blasts Wike Over Church Thanksgiving on Completed ProjectsIranian President Accuses Israel of Failed Assassination Plot2027: Yobe Swings as Adamu Waziri, PDP's BoT member Dumps Party for ADCSaudi Arabia Raises Oil PricesGrass Cutting! Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal Dumps APC, Heads to ADC Ahead 2027Drama in Kano, as 58 Inmates Seat for 2025 NECO SSCESword of Democles! Trump’s 10% Tariff Threat Dangles Over Nigeria, Others Over BRICS PartnershipMakinde Mourns as Olubadan’s Passes Away at 90Concerns Soars as Nigeria Unbelievably Lags Behind Libya, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea in World Bank’s 2025 Income Rankings2027: Political Intrigues Escalate as Obi Affirms Presidential Ambition, Declines VP SlotOjuri and Her One-Upper Friend: A Story About Listening, Healing, and Guarding Your PeaceRanked: The Best Countries for Work-Life Balance in 2025
X whatsapp