Politics

‘Forget about tenure extension. I will leave in 2023,’ Buhari warns campaigners

Published

2 years ago

October 29, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday he would leave office when his tenure ends in 2023.

Buhari also warned against campaigns for tenure extension, saying he has no plan to stay longer than necessary in the office.

The President, according to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated these during a meeting with a select group of Nigerians resident in Saudi Arabia.

He said: “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 an unconstitutional extension. I will not accept that.

President Buhari also tacitly expressed support to efforts to increase the role of technology in the nation’s electoral process.

He insisted that the introduction of the card reader and electronic register was God’s answer to his prayers, having been cheated of his victory in three previous elections.

The President added: “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.”

He also promised to continue to abide by the constitution in all its ramifications.

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