3rd Term Agenda: President Buhari Speaks From Saudi Arabia, Reveals When He Plans To Leave Office

President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to abide by the country’s constitution and avoid any form of tenure extension beyond May 29, 2023.

The President reiterated his commitment on Friday when he warned those touting the possibility of a third-term agenda for him to put an end to such plans.

Buhari in a statement released by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu said he swore to Nigerians by the Holy Quran and the constitution and has no plan whatsoever to renege on the oath.

The President in the statement sent to Ezenwoko’s Blog was quoted to have made the declaration in Makkah, Saudi Arabia during a meeting with a select group of Nigerians resident in the country.

“I swore by the Holy Qur’an that I will serve in accordance with the constitution and leave when my time is up. No “Tazarce’’ (tenure extension). I don’t want anybody to start talking about and campaigning for unconstitutional extension. I will not accept that,” he said.

Buhari who recalled that he had almost given up after contesting and losing the presidency on three previous occasions vowed that he will always support all efforts targeted at strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

The President who alleged that he was cheated in the presidential elections he lost, said God answered his prayers in 2015 through the card reader and electronic register which ensured that the peoples’ vote count.

“After the third so-called defeat, I said, ‘God Dey’. My opponents laughed at me but God answered my prayers by bringing in technology. At that point, nobody can steal their votes or buy them,” the President added.

He promised that in the “eighteen months or so of my time left, whatever I can do to improve the life of Nigerians, I will do it for the country.”

On insecurity ravaging some parts of Nigeria, the President said the situation is improving and is already way better than it was in 2015.

He revealed that he had to be hard so as to stamp out insecurity and put the country back in order.

“My problem is the North West where people are killing and stealing from one another. I had to be very hard on them and I will continue to be very hard until we put them in line and bring back order,” he said.

President Buhari urged Nigerians living in Saudi Arabia to be good ambassadors of their country by remaining law-abiding.

Responding on behalf of those at the meeting, Dr. Abdulkadir Maikudi assured that they will continue to be of good behaviour and avoid anything capable of damaging the good image of Nigeria and the cordial relationship between both countries.

The Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yahaya Lawal and the Consul-General in Jeddah, Ambassador Abdulkarim Mansur were also present at the meeting.