Give me more time, Buhari pleads with Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to give him more time to execute the plans he has for the country.

Buhari said this after a special parade that the guards brigade of the Nigerian army organised in commemoration of his 76th birthday.

The president, whose mood was light,  jocularly asked a reporter why he reduced his age.

“Why would you reduce my age by one?’’ the president asked.

He called on Nigerians to continue to pray for him and the country at large, charging them to continue to show more understanding of his administration’s policies aimed at transforming the nation.

“Nigerians should continue to pray for me and understand my intentions and give me time,” he said.

He said the government would continue to remind Nigerians of its achievements in the last three and half years.

“We will keep reminding Nigerians about what we have done, how we met the country, what we were able to do from the time we came in to now with the resources available to us,” he said.

The ceremony began with a special rendition that ushered the president into the forecourt where the special parade was mounted by the guards brigade.

This was then followed by a special performance by the silent drill squad of the brigade, which included the formation of words like PMB @ 76

The brigade band also wished the president “Happy Birthday’’ with their musical gadgets.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of birthday cards to the celebrant.

While Mansur Dan-Ali, minister of defence, presented a birthday card on behalf of the country’s armed forces, Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, presented on behalf of members of cabinet and Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president, presented a card on behalf of presidential aides

The high point of the event was the cutting of the birthday cake by the president, who was flanked by ministers and some presidential aides.

Those at the event were cabinet ministers, members of the diplomatic corps, security chiefs, presidential aides as well as well-wishers.