President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday put to rest the rumours of his tenure elongation to rest saying he will not be available for future elections after serving out his term in 2023.
Buhari who stated this in his New Year message entitled ‘A letter from the president at New Year’ said he would, instead, help in strengthening democracy inNigeria and in the West African sub-region.
“I will be standing down in 2023 and will not be available in any future elections. But I am determined to help strengthen the electoral process both in Nigeria and across the region, where several Economic Communit of West African States (ECOWAS) members go to the polls this year,” he said.
As a commander-in-chief, he said his primary concern is the security Nigeria and the safety its citizens in the face of Boko Haram insurgency.
“When I assumed office in May 2015 my first task was to rally our neighbours so that we could confront Boko Haram on a coordinated regional basis. Chaos is not a neighbour any of us hope for.
“We have been fighting on several fronts: violent extremists, cultists and organised criminal networks. It has not been easy. But as we are winning the war, we also look to the challenge of winning the peace, the reconstruction of lives, communities and markets. The North East Development Commission will work with local and international stakeholders to help create a new beginning for the North East,” he said.
The president further stated that the federal government will continue to work with state governors, neighbouring states and “our international partners to tackle the root causes of violent extremism and the networks that help finance and organise terror.”
He added: “Our security forces will receive the best training and modern weaponry, and in turn will be held to the highest standards of professionalism, and respect for human rights. We will use all the human and emerging technological resources available to tackle kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery.”
On the closure of Nigeri’s land borders, Buhari said Nigeria will not sit back and watch the sabotage of its economic regeration plans.
“The joint land border security exercise currently taking place is meant to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and security. No one can doubt that we have been good neighbours and good citizens. We have been the helpers and shock-absorbers of the sub-region but we cannot allow our well-planned economic regeneration plans to be sabotaged. As soon as we are satisfied that the safeguards are adequate, normal cross-border movements will be resumed,” hr said.
