Buhari Calls for Nation Building
President Muhammadu Buhari has said the nation’s elites are harassing his administration and undermine numerous efforts to reposition the country.
Buhari stated this on Saturday in Daura, Katsina State, during his membership revalidated exercise. He noted that despite the inadequate resources, efforts being put in place are not appreciated by the elites who instead choose to harass him.
During the exercise, he declared that the period of endorsing people from Abuja was over. The President, who also Twitter on his handle, noted that all good people must get involved in nation-building and improving their society.
He said that he intends to give back to the people at the grassroots by beginning from the bottom- up from the polling unit, toward the local government, to the state, and then to the federal.
The President implored the elites to be honest in their judgment of his performance and take cognizance of the state of the country’s economy when he took over power in 2015.
According to him, “The problem is that I will like, especially the elites, to please be reflective. When we came, where we were, the resources available from then, and the infrastructure condition. I was contrived to go over it several times to tell Nigerians that between 1999 and 2014, let them check with the NNPC and check with the Governor of Central Bank. The daily production was 2.4 million barrels per day, and the average cost was a hundred American dollars per barrel.
“So for these years, daily Nigeria would earn having 2.4m times 100 dollars every day. But look at the condition of infrastructure, you know this better than I do. I know I went to every country’s local government in my three consecutive attempts to become the President. You see the road more than I do. You know the condition of the rail; the railway was dead. Now look at it everywhere we go, what did they do with all these monies?
“When we took over in this administration, production went down to about half a million barrels per day, the price collapsed. We had to do what is called a bailout, wherever we got the money from. Upon all the money from 1999 to 2014, we have to give you money from the Centre to pay salaries. No! Nigerian elites are not interested in rating the competence, but they are interested in harassing us with all efforts we are making.”
The President also lauded the Party for deciding on a bottom-up registration process, stating that” Our party style and structure should no longer be Abuja downwards, but from the ward level upwards. So that people can defend the Party and its policies even at every level.”
The President was accompanied by APC Caretaker Committee members, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, and governors.
