First of all, I thank the organisers of today’s book launch for providing me the opportunity and the ambience to reunite with my predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, since he left office on May 29, 2023.
When President Buhari was leaving office he said he would retire to Daura, far away from Abuja to enjoy his well-deserved retirement from public service. I remember he added that if his supporters and friends deny him of enough rest in Daura, he would run to the Republic of Niger.
Well, as you all know, he can no longer escape to Niger Republic because of the border closure.
I am therefore extremely happy to receive him here in Abuja. We are all here today to honour a great man, a patriot, a dedicated public servant who offered his best in the service of our country since he joined the army in 1962 at age 18.
President Buhari served our country with dedication and uncommon zeal. First as a military officer who offered unblemished service, manning important commands and political positions, and crowning it as military Head of State on 1st January 1984. Second, as a politician who ran four times for the highest office until he was elected President in 2015.
The authors of the books we are here to present to the public have done justice to the essential Muhammadu Buhari, especially on his tenure and legacy as the 15th President of Nigeria.
Femi Adesina, who served him as the Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, authored one of the books titled:’Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity ( 2015-2023).”
I particularly thank Femi for using his memoirs to let us into the challenging eight years of the administration and how his principal steered the ship of State.
President Buhari assumed office at a very difficult period of our national life when the economy was spiralling into recession and Boko Haram had taken over swaths of our territory in North East. At a point it appeared even Abuja, the seat of government would fall into the hands of Boko Haram with the bombing of the UN Building, Banex Plaza, Nyanya and other locations within the Federal Capital Territory. We cannot easily forget how our armed forces battled the Boko Haram terrorists under the leadership of President Buhari to reclaim our territory and push them to the fringes of Lake Chad where they no longer pose existential threat to our sovereignty.
I must say the job of securing every inch of our country is yet to be finished. My government will stamp out the remaining vestiges of Boko Haram, Ansaru, banditry and kidnapping gangs. We won’t rest until every agent of darkness is completely rooted out.
The second book that will be presented today is a collection of five volumes book on the Buhari years. The book, “Muhammadu Buhari: The Nigerian Legacy (2015-2023)” gives an authoritative account of the stewardship of President Buhari.
Beyond what the editor of these volumes has recorded as the achievements of President Buhari in his eight years as a democratically-elected President, history will also be kind to him as the leader who promoted local production of goods to grow our economy.
It will be said glowingly of President Buhari that in his eight turbulent years, marked by acute shortage of revenue, Covid-19 pandemic that shut down the global economy for almost two years, his administration embarked on the most ambitious infrastructural renewal for the country.
President Buhari gave us the second Niger Bridge. He revamped Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. He gave us the Lagos-Ibadan and Warri-Itakpe Rail lines. He completed Abuja-Kaduna rail line and Lekki Seaport. He built brand new airports, among many other landmark economic projects. The Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway, which he started, will be completed by my administration, by the Grace of God.
Whatever unresolved challenges faced by President Buhari in his eight years, our administration will endeavour to resolve them. As I said during the campaigns, I inherited all his assets and liabilities.
Our administration will continue to work , from where President Buhari stopped, to make our country better, create a vibrant economy and secure the environment to bring more prosperity to our people.
I thank you all for coming to this event and for finding time to honour President Buhari and the organisers. And I welcome President Buhari back to Abuja.
May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.