President Bola Tinubu has described the tenure of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, as “eight turbulent years” but has pledged to build upon his “developmental strides.”
The president made the remark while speaking at the public presentation of books on Buhari’s tenure.
“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.
Tinubu said security remains a critical priority. He vowed to “stamp out the remaining vestiges of Boko Haram, Ansaru, banditry and kidnapping gangs,” asserting that “the job of securing every inch of our country is yet to be finished.” He commended Buhari for his efforts in combating these threats, stating that he “had done the best in the situation.”
Reflecting on the perilous state of Nigeria when Buhari took office, Tinubu recalled a time when “the economy was spiralling into recession,” and “Boko Haram had taken over swaths of our territory in the North-East.” He pointed to the chilling proximity of the terror group, mentioning the “bombing of the UN building, Banex Plaza, Nyanya and other locations within the Federal Capital Territory.”
Despite the turbulence, Tinubu expressed gratitude for Buhari’s dedication and service, praising the authors of the presented books for capturing his “essential” character. He further commended Buhari for his remarkable restraint, keeping true to his promise of “not interfering in the affairs of the current administration.”
“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,'” recounted Tinubu, appreciating Buhari’s respect for the democratic process.”
