‘Buhari assumed office at a very difficult period of our national life,’ says President Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu says his government will continue with the various developmental strides of the past APC-led administration, describing ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime as “eight turbulent years.”

He said this at the public presentation of books on former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in Abuja.

“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.

“It will be said glowingly of President Buhari that in his eight turbulent years, marked by an acute shortage of revenue, the 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,” he said.

Mr Tinubu said the transportation roadmap of Mr Buhari’s regime was a laudable project, adding that his government will complete the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Expressway.

He also said eliminating elements of darkness that foment trouble in the country would be sustained, adding that Buhari had done the best in the situation.

Mr Tinubu stated, “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.

“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 the North-East.”

The president added, “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.”

He commended Mr Buhari for his dedication and service to the nation.

“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,” he said.

Mr Tinubu commended Mr Buhari for keeping to his pledge of not interfering in the affairs of the current administration, saying this marked him out as a true democrat.

“After handing over, you said, ‘I will be far away in Daura, but if you need me, contact me. But I won’t intrude in whatever you are doing. I won’t interfere or breathe down your throat’, said Mr Tinubu.

The president added, “Except when I call you to say how are you living? Are you in the farm? We don’t hear from you either to nominate or intrude the cabinet or complain about anything. Thank you for being who you are.”

(NAN)