President, Muhammadu Buhari, Friday, recalled the extra-ordinary opportunity conferred on him by God to serve Nigeria as a state governor, as a minister and twice as president.
Buhari then thanked God for the special grace and asked forgiveness from those on whose toes he might have stepped in the course of his stewardship.
Buhari said: “Having been a governor, minister and the president twice, I think God has given me an incredible opportunity to serve as your president. And I thank God for that.
He added: “So, please, whoever feels I have done wrong to them, we are all humans. There is no doubt I hurt some people and I wish you will pardon me. And those that think that I have hurt them so much, please, pardon me.”
Expressing a craving to return to a quiet life in his home community and an appreciation of the values of democracy, Buhari said, “I am counting the days. Democracy is a good thing, otherwise how can somebody from the other side be a president for two terms? My hometown to Niger Republic is eight kilometres.
President Buhari who hands over to new administration on May 29 was speaking on Friday at the State House Abuja, in a Sallah homage by residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) led by the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello. This will be Buhari’s last Sallah celebration in office as President of Nigeria.
He said the Sallah celebration, for him, was a good time to say goodbye and thank you to Nigerians.
“I think this is a very good coincidence for me to say goodbye to you and to thank you for tolerating me for more than seven and half years now.
“I assure you, I have deliberately arranged to be as far away from you as possible not because I don’t appreciate the love you’ve shown to me, but because I think I’ve gotten what I have asked and I would rather quietly retire to my hometown.
He reassured the nation that nothing would stop the May 29 handover date to the next administration.
The President had earlier joined other Muslim faithful to perform the Eid el-Fitr prayer on the parade ground of the Mambilla Barracks.
