Following the intense presidential campaign
and the victory in the March 28 presidential poll, Muhammadu Buhari’s
year was rich in events, speeches, meetings and trips.
As the President of Nigeria celebrates his birthday today, December 17, kemzyasuquo.blogspot.com gathered 73 memorable quotes by President Buhari.
On corruption and economy
1. We will stop corruption and make the ordinary people, the weak and the vulnerable our top priority.
2. Any war waged on corruption should not be misconstrued as settling
old scores or a witch-hunt. I’m running for president to lead Nigeria
to prosperity and not adversity.
3. Corruption will have no place and the corrupt will not be appointed into my administration.
4. This generation of Nigerians, and, indeed the future generation,
have no country other than Nigeria; we shall stay and salvage it
together!
5. We cannot build an economy where corruption is the working capital.
6. We will be a compassionate government, for out of compassion
arises the truest forms of wealth and progress a society can attain.
7. No longer shall illegal flows of massive sums leave these shores
to finance other economies. While our people languish in poverty, we
effectively give financial aid to nations that is not justified. I am
sick of this. It must stop. The money saved will finance jobs, health
care and the provision of social safety net for the needy, weak and
vulnerable of our land.
8. We shall strongly battle another form of evil that is even worse than terrorism – the evil of corruption.
9. We shall send corrupt politicians to Kirikiri.
10. I will stabilise global oil price.
On Boko Haram and insecurity
11. Boko Haram is a mindless, godless group who are as far away from Islam as one can think of.
12. Progress has been made in recent weeks by our security forces,
but victory cannot be achieved by basing the command and control centre
in Abuja. The command centre will be relocated to Maiduguri and remain
until Boko Haram is completely subdued.
13. But we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing
the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by
insurgents.
14. Boko Haram is a typical example of small fires causing large
fires. An eccentric and unorthodox preacher with a tiny following was
given posthumous fame and following by his extra judicial murder at the
hands of the police.
15. They have to prove to us that the girls are alive, they are well,
and then we can promise we can negotiate. We will negotiate if we
certify that the girls are alive.
16. For now the armed forces will be fully charged with prosecuting
the fight against Boko Haram. We shall overhaul the rules of engagement
to avoid human rights violations in operations.
17. There are many reasons why vulnerable young people join militant
groups, but among them are poverty and ignorance. Indeed Boko
Haram – which translates in English, roughly, as ‘Western Education Is
Sinful’ – preys on the perverted belief that the opportunities that
education brings are sinful.
18. The misappropriation of resources provided by the government for
weapons means the Nigerian military is unable to beat Boko Haram.
19. Stop killing our people.
20. If you are starving and young and in search of answers as to why
your life is so difficult, fundamentalism can be alluring. We know this
for a fact because former members of Boko Haram have admitted it: they
offer impressionable young people money and the promise of food, while
the group’s mentors twist their minds with fanaticism.
21. You shall be able to go to bed knowing you are safe… Insurgents
would soon know the strength of the collective will of Nigerians.
22. We are going to erect and maintain an efficient, disciplined
people – friendly and well-compensated security forces within an over –
all security architecture.
23. We stand united in our pledge to resist terror in Nigeria – not
just through military means but also through the power of opportunity
and the hope of a better future for all.
On religion
24. I will continue to show openly and inside me the total commitment
to the Sharia movement that is sweeping all over Nigeria… God willing,
we will not stop the agitation for the total implementation of the
Sharia in the country. (Note: the call was made in August 2001 and,
apparently, concerned only areas where Muslims predominated).
25. Religion is a personal affair. If you want to visit Mecca or
Jerusalem do it with your personal funds. Sponsorship of religious
pilgrimages is illegal, unconstitutional and lack of fairness.
26. Because they can’t attack our record, they accuse me falsely of
ethnic jingoes; they accuse me falsely of religious fundamentalism.
Because they cannot attack our record, they accuse us falsely of calling
for election violence – when we have only insisted on peace. Even as
Head of State, we never imposed Sharia.
27. I urge Nigerians to put aside religion, politics and all other divisions to crush the insurgency.
28. Religion must never be used as an excuse to divide us, oppress others or gain unfair advantage.
On the former government
29. Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President
Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the
country untold consequences.
30. I would like to thank President Goodluck Jonathan for his display
of statesmanship in setting a precedent for us that has now made our
people proud to be Nigerians wherever they are.
31. President Jonathan has nothing to fear of me; we might not agree
on the same methodology of governance… He is a great Nigerian leader,
who made it possible for democracy to thrive. I will extend my hands of
fellowship to Jonathan and his team.
On elections
32. This campaign is the third and last one for me. I will not offer
myself again for election into the office of president. (Note:
the promise was made before the 2011 presidential election).
33. It is up to the people. If you choose correct leadership, there
won’t be any need for the military regime. The opposition has united
this time to back one candidate to challenge the PDP in the presidential
poll. The military came in when it was absolutely necessary and the
elected people had failed the country.
34. There shall no more be a ruling party; All Progressive Congress (APC), will now be your governing party.
35. You are all my people; I will treat you all as mine. I will work
for those who voted for me, voted against me and those who didn’t vote
at all.
36. If what happened in 2011 (alleged rigging) should again happen in
2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked
in blood.’
On the military past
37. I cannot change the past. But I can change the present and the future.
38. I have heard and read references to me as a ‘former dictator’… I
take responsibility for anything that happened under my watch.
39. I bear no ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody should
fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear
the consequences of their actions.
40. A few people have privately voiced fears that on coming back to
office I shall go after them. These fears are groundless. There will be
no paying off old scores. The past is prologue.
41. Let us put the recent past behind us and forget our old battles.
42. The phased end of the USSR was a turning point for me. It
convinced me that change can be brought about without firing a single
shot.
On Nigeria’s future
43. I assure you, if I become president, the world will not have to worry about Nigeria as it is now.
44. We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there
yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the
fullest is unity of purpose.
45. This generation of Nigerians and indeed the future generation
have no country other than Nigeria, we shall stay and salvage it
together!
46. Our long night is over and a new dawn has come… Democracy and rule of law will be put in place.
47. Along the way there will be success and setbacks; mistakes will be made but we will not take you for granted.
48. The work of making Nigeria great is not yet done, because I still
believe that change is possible, this time through the ballot, and most
importantly, because I still have the capacity and the passion to dream
and work for a Nigeria that will be respected again in the comity of
nations and that all Nigerians will be proud of.
On governance and public service
49. As far as the constitution allows me, I will try to ensure that
there is responsible and accountable governance at all levels of
government in the country. For I will not have kept my own trust with
the Nigerian people if I allow others abuse theirs under my watch.
50. Every new government inherits problems. Ours was no different.
But what Nigerians want are solutions, quick solutions not a recitation
of problems inherited.
51. Our government set out to do things methodically and properly.
52. Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must
appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring CHANGE
about.
53. We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office
and public trust. We must change our unruly behavior in schools,
hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and
offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being
law-abiding citizens.
54. The Federal Executive under my watch will not seek to encroach on
the duties and functions of the Legislative and Judicial arms of
government.
55. It is only when the three arms act constitutionally that
government will be enabled to serve the country optimally and avoid the
confusion all too often bedeviled governance today.
56. Constitutionally there are limits to powers of each of the three
tiers of government but that should not mean the Federal Government
should fold its arms and close its eyes to what is going on in the
states and local governments. Not least the operations of the Local
Government Joint Account.
57. I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.
58. We shall rebuild and reform the public service to become more
effective and more serviceable. We shall charge them to apply themselves
with integrity to stabilize the system.
On employment
59. I appeal to employers and workers alike to unite in raising
productivity so that everybody will have the opportunity to share in
increased prosperity.
60. Unemployment, notably youth un-employment features strongly in
our Party’s Manifesto. We intend to attack the problem frontally through
revival of agriculture, solid minerals mining as well as credits to
small and medium size businesses to kick-start these enterprises.
On infrastructure
61. We have to upgrade our dilapidated physical infrastructure. No
single cause can be identified to explain Nigerian’s poor economic
performance over the years than the power situation. It is a national
shame that an economy of 180 million generates only 4,000MW, and
distributes even less.
62. We shall quickly examine the best way to revive major industries
and accelerate the revival and development of our railways, roads and
general infrastructure.
63. There is nothing strange, except that I said those who bought the
electricity companies and the workers must work accordingly. From 1999
to present, Nigeria’s money, totalling $20 billion, not Nigerian naira,
but US dollars, was spent on Nigeria’s electricity. So the companies
involved in whatever way, we have been begging them to come back and
work because there may be a time when the push comes to shove on how
such monies were spent, the companies must execute the project or refund
to Nigeria her money.
On media
64. The Nigerian press is the most vibrant in Africa. My appeal to
the media today – and this includes the social media – is to exercise
its considerable powers with responsibility and patriotism.
On Niger Delta amnesty
65. The amnesty programme in the Niger Delta is due to end in
December, but the government intends to invest heavily in the projects,
and programmes currently in place.
66. What is responsible for the security situation in the country is
caused by the activities of Niger Delta militants […] The Niger Delta
militants started it all.
On self-determination of people
67. As we engage in these annual debates, we need remind ourselves of
the principles that led to the founding of the United Nations. Among
those are peaceful coexistence and self-determination of people. In this
context, Mr. President, the unresolved question of self-determination
for the Palestinian people and those of Western Sahara, both nations
having been adjudged by the United Nations as qualifying for this
inalienable right must now be assured and fulfilled without any further
delay or obstacle.
68. The corporate existence of Nigeria as a single entity is not a subject of debate and will not be compromised.
On justice
69. Justice is justice, whether it’s done in Africa or elsewhere in
the world. The important thing is let justice be done, whatever evidence
the prosecution has in Senegal. I think they should – you should
proceed to make it available to the world and prosecute him according to
international law on human rights.
70. I pledge myself and the government to the rule of law, in which
none shall be so above the law that they are not subject to its
dictates, and none shall be so below it that they are not availed of its
protection.
On ministers
71. I said within this month. Therefore, I still have three weeks. As
such, hold back your question until after three weeks, when September
ends without me doing that.
72. What is wrong if I make you the secretary (of the federal government) because I have confidence that things will go normal?
73. The civil service provides the continuity, the technocrat. And in
any case, they are the people who do most of the work. The ministers
are there, I think, to make a lot of noise, for the politicians to make a
lot of noise. But the work is being done by the technocrats. They are
there, they have to provide the continuity, dig into the records and
then guide (those of us) who are just coming in.
