By Ismaila Chafe
President Muhammadu Buhari says citizens must bring to bear the strength of individualism, the power of unity and the convictions of beliefs to make Nigeria work better, together with one spirit and one purpose.
The president, who stated this in a farewell broadcast on Sunday in Abuja, said the nation must also as a nation improve and sustain gains so far made in the electoral process, on an incremental basis for Nigeria to take its rightful place among Nations.
He said: ”Today we mark and celebrate another peaceful transition of power from one elected government to another in our steady march to improve and sustain Nigeria’s democracy.
”This year we witnessed the most keenly contested presideneial Elections since the first republic and this demonstrates that our democracy is getting better and more entrenched with each election.
”We must as a nation improve and sustain gains we make in the electoral process, on an incremental basis for Nigeria to take its rightful place among Nations.
”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.”
The president urged all parties involved in the 2023 general elections to accept the decision of the courts irrespective of the outcome of the various cases and should join hands to build a better Nigeria.
”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.
The president again congratulated the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, for realising his political dream which he said, was originated out of the desire to make the nation greater and safer.
Buhari described Tinubu as the best candidate among all the contestants and ”Nigerians have chosen well.”
He said: ”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.
”You are the best candidate among all the contestants and Nigerians have chosen well. ”
The president maintained that the last eight years had been an exciting experience in his desire and commitment to see a Nigeria in which public goods and services are available, and accessible within a united, peaceful and secure nation.
”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.
”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,” he added. (NAN)