President Muhammadu Buhari says his participation in politics is borne out of a desire and commitment to serve Nigerians, and not for fun or to gather wealth.
Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, quoted Buhari to have said this on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) ward congress held at Bayagida Model Primary School, Katsina state.
According to Buhari, he joined the political sphere of Nigeria when after his retirement from the military, he saw that the country “needed an intervention for fairness, justice”.
He said the passion to serve and see real changes in the lives of Nigerians inspired him to contest elections in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015, and his desire for a second term in 2019.
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Buhari had said he is seeking re-election because of the “clamour by Nigerians”.
“I am not in politics for fun, frivolity or to amass wealth, I have always been driven by a deep sense of commitment to make a difference to the lives of our people,” Buhari said.
“After my retirement from the army, or forceful retirement, I sat back and watched as events unfolded on the political turf, and realised the country needed an intervention for fairness, justice and inclusion of Nigerians in the issues that affect their lives.
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“After going to the court so many times to challenge results of elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011, and going up to the supreme court, I concluded that ultimately it is God who determines who will win elections, and in 2015 I got here.”
The president called for patience, maturity and orderliness as the 2019 elections’ calendar begins to unfold, urging political parties, candidates and the electorate to put the country first.
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