I Have Run A Good Race, Finished My Course – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, in Abuja, said he has run a good race and finished his course as Nigeria’s leader for the past eight years adding that it is now time for another person to take over the baton of leadership.

The president said this on Thursday after the investiture of national honours of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima, at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

Buhari, who also handed over the Transition Documents and the symbolic Baton of Service to Tinubu after the conferment of the national honours, congratulated the two men on their “well-deserved victory at the February 25th, 2023 presidential elections.”

“I have run a good race, I have finished my course. It is now time for another to take up the baton,” he said. The president said the administration was faced with many challenges at inception and worked hard to tackle hydra-headed issues.

“This administration from inception has faced security challenges such as insurgency, oil theft, kidnapping as well as corruption, which has eaten deep into the system.

“With the political will and support of many Nigerians, especially our dogged armed forces, insurgency, terrorism, and kidnapping have been reduced to their barest minimum while corruption has been tackled headlong.

“Despite the aforementioned challenges, our administration has made economic gains over the years. While acknowledging the turbulent times and global economic meltdown occasioned by the world oil crisis and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, our economy has remained afloat and strong.

“Our administration’s commitment and determination in infrastructural upliftment of Nigeria have remained unshaken,” he said.

Best in road infrastructure

Buhari boasted that no administration in Nigeria’s modern history had given so much attention to roads as he had done in the last eight years, and had done well in other areas as well, citing the Second Niger Bridge named after him.

“In all, we have been able to construct and complete over 8,352.94 kilometres of roads across Nigeria.

“Ladies and gentlemen, in spite of the shortfall in the federal government’s revenue, due to the weakness in the global economy that led to a drop in oil revenue, we have touched on all sectors of the Nigerian economy positively.

“As we celebrate the monumental infrastructural strides achieved by this administration, it is pertinent to acknowledge that these transformative endeavours have not only reshaped our physical landscape but have also paved the way for remarkable economic outcomes that reverberate across our nation.

“The link between infrastructure and economic prosperity is undeniable. It is through the construction of roads, railways, bridges, and other critical assets that we unlock the true potential of our nation, leading to better communication, facilitating trade, and propelling economic growth,” he said.

DailyTrust