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President Muhammadu Buhari says no one can blackmail him with unexplained riches and illicit enrichment while in office, saying, “I don’t have a square inch outside of Nigeria.”
Buhari said this at a state banquet Monday night organized in his honor in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state, Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, said in a statement.
The president reaffirmed his vow to serve God and Nigeria until his last day in office and beyond.
He advised Nigerians to remain patriotic, saying “as I said more than 30 years ago, we have no other country but Nigeria, we must all stay here and save it together.”
Noting that the most critical security challenge inherited by the administration nearly eight years ago was the potent and pervasive threat of terrorism, the President welcomed the return of normality to the affected states in north-eastern Nigeria.
He reported that the threat was particularly widespread in the geopolitical zone of the northeast, with Yobe state being one of the most affected by terrorists.
Therefore, he stated that he has fulfilled the commitment made to Nigerians in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2015 to bravely confront Boko Haram terrorists head-on and stabilize the country.
”In the northeast, God has helped us clean up Boko Haram, the economy has recovered, and some people ask me about the achievements of my promise to fight corruption.
“Well, under this system fighting corruption is not easy. When I was in the military, as Head of State, I locked up some people because the Constitution says you have to declare your assets and people who couldn’t explain the differences in their assets, I locked them up.
”In the end, they also locked me up. So if you want to serve this country, you have to be prepared for the worst. But one thing I’m thankful to God for is that no one can blackmail me. I don’t have a square inch outside of Nigeria and I intend to stay in Nigeria when I retire from civil service,” he said.
Reflecting on his path to the presidency and re-election, the President said: “Between 2003 and 2019, I visited every area of local government in this country. In 2019 when I ran for re-election I visited every state and the number of people who came to see who this Buhari is and was is more than anyone can afford or force.
“So, I thank God that Nigerians have understood me and I promised that I will serve God and Nigerians.”
Buhari praised Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni for taking advantage of the return of peace and security in the state to implement people-oriented projects.
Describing the governor as highly competent and courageous, the president said he was lucky to have him in the saddle as a political leader in the state, supporting federal efforts to decimate the Boko Haram terror group.
The president also acknowledged the cooperation of Nigeria’s neighbors in the fight against the insurgency, recalling that his first visit outside the country in 2015 was to Niger and Chad, to rally support in the fight against the rogue sect.
Buhari thanked the Governor and the people of Yobe State, including Senate President Ahmed Lawan, for their warm reception during the state visit.
