Don’t return Nigeria to irresponsible persons, Buhari tells Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has advised Nigerians against returning the country to those he said are irresponsible leaders and has, therefore, urged them to vote wisely.

He accused such individuals of being desperate and reckless spenders of the nation’s resources.

Speaking at the launch of a book launch: ‘Nigeria on Firmer Ground, Towards Lasting Peace and Progress.’’ at the presidential villa, Abuja, he said: “their stock-in-trade is the avaricious plunder of our national assets and resources, and ordinary Nigerians are quite aware of their conduct in government.”

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President Buhari said: “Going round the country in the past weeks on our campaign stops, I believe that our message emphasizing the need to stick to the winning team and not risk returning our country to irresponsible leadership, at any level of government, has resonated with the people.

“Their stock-in-trade is the avaricious plunder of our national assets and resources, and ordinary Nigerians are quite aware of their conduct in government.

“Our simple message to the Nigerian electorate is to give us four more years to build and consolidate on the foundations we have painstakingly laid so that we shall all reap the benefits of what we have planted in all sectors of our society.

“We have proved better managers of our national assets and the limited resources available to us than past administrations, and we are committed to entrenching higher levels of accountability and transparency in the years ahead.

“As the nation prepares to give her citizens the opportunity to choose their leaders and representatives in the next few weeks, I urge all Nigerians to exercise their civic duty in an atmosphere of peace and security.

“Let us remember that elections will come and go, but we need a country in which to live. I am appealing to our youths: do not allow yourselves to be used by desperate politicians to violate the sanctity of the ballot and endanger our country. I assure you that the security agencies will protect you as you go out to vote without fear of violence or molestation.”

In his remarks at the event, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ahmed Bola Tinubu said that President Buhari has managed to return Nigeria to the path of growth and needed the support of the electorates to consolidate.

He said under Buhari, Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves have been rebuilt, Inflation has been brought under control and the country’s balance of trade has steadily improved.

The former Lagos state governor said: “These macroeconomic indicators point to an economy that, under the watchful eye of the President, is steadily recovering.

“We must also recognise that positive economic statistics mean little to ordinary Nigerians striving to put food on their tables. Our party, APC is a party of compassion and progressivism.

“Despite the relatively meagre revenues of this government compared to prior governments, the Buhari administration set out to do what the other governments cared not to do. That is to give direct care to the nation’s poorest and most put upon citizens.”