President Muhammadu Buhari is battling with enormous pressure as his administration winds down after completing his 8-year double terms.
On a day he juggled many activities, including inaugurating no fewer than eight projects, he also left a parting message to the military: do not give up until the battle against insurgency is won.
President Buhari spoke on Tuesday night at the Regimental Dinner organised in his honour by the Armed Forces at the newly commissioned Nigerian Armed Forces Officers’ Mess, Asokoro in Abuja.
He was accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Salihi Magashi; the Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, and Service chiefs.
The President said he could not wait to exit office in four days as the pressures of the last lap of activities were taking a toll on him.
President Buhari, who unusually arrived late to the event, apologised.
He had inaugurated the new Nigerian Customs Service Headquarters in Maitama District of the FCT, before virtually inaugurating six other projects across the country.
He also presided over another extraordinary Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting from midday till late Tuesday, before heading out for the Regimental Dinner.
“Please, I will like to digress a bit from the prepared speech. I apologise most sincerely for keeping you waiting for about at least half an hour.
“Actually, I can hardly cope with the pressure and I’m desperately looking forward to the next six days,” he told the gathering made up of the top brass of the Armed Forces.
Regimental Dinner is a ceremony to send off an exiting Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces by the military hierarchy.
President Buhari will step down on Monday, giving way to President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu to become the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The President urged the military and other security and intelligence agencies not to relent in their efforts to secure all parts of the country.
He expressed appreciation to members of the Armed Forces for their sacrifice.
Paying tribute to “their unwavering loyalty, hard work, dedication and selfless service to our beloved nation”, the President stressed that until insecurity is surmounted, nobody should relax.
He said: “Consequently, the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the other security agencies must always remain resolute in the face of the country’s security challenges.
“In this vein, our administration, though winding down soon, will never relent in providing the needed support to the military, to enable them to effectively carry out their constitutional responsibilities.
“Let me now thank the chief host, the Chief of Defense Staff, the Honourable Minister of Defence, the Service Chiefs and heads of other security agencies at this event, for your dedicated service to the nation.
“I commend you and thank our esteemed guests for coming to this historic occasion.
“Let me now pray for the repose of the souls of our fallen heroes. Their ultimate sacrifice will never be in vain.
“May the Almighty God continue to grant them eternal rest,” the President said.
