The Presidency has declared that President Muhammadu Buhari is physically fit and healthy to seek re-election in the 2019 general elections. In demonstration of his fitness for another four-year term in office next year, Buhari yesterday shunned protocol to trek 800 meters from the Eid-ground to his private residence in Daura, Katsina State.
The President acknowledged cheers from Nigerians who lined up on his home route to catch a glimpse of him, as he trekked the short distance. Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, described the brief exercise by Buhari as an indication of his fitness to seek re-election in 2019.
The exercise, the President’s spokesman said, was a response to Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s diatribe that Buhari was “too old” to continue to rule the country beyond 2019. “I think there are two things here; one is to say that the President is responsive to the enormous support and commitment of his own people that had come out in their numbers to see him and he just decided that he couldn’t go on riding in a blacken vehicle and he came out and walked to the distance. “The second thing, he is curious that these days, one or two people who are aspiring to be president are campaigning on their youthfulness and good health.
“I think the president has done one thing today – that the issue is not how old one is, but how fit is he; how healthy is he. Now that the president has proven his fitness and well-being, to continue in office is a settled matter. “I think that if people want to campaign against him, they should do so on issues that are of significance to Nigerians. The President is fit, he is healthy; he is good to go,” the presidential spokesman said. Tambuwal had said that President Buhari is just too old to be Nigeria’s leader, despite his integrity and impeccable character.
The Sokoto State Governor had said this during a solidarity visit of students and youths in Sokoto, last week. According to Tambuwal, “We love President Buhari and that was why we supported him in 2015 unconditionally, and while doing that, we are too sure that he will seek re-election after his first term, but when things are wrong, we have to tell him.
“We still believe in his integrity, patriotism and courage, but these are not enough for a leader. “We all know that there is a vacuum in the government occasioned by his disposition, probably because of his old age or health condition. That is why Nigerians are yearning for younger ones to lead this country.”
Meanwhile, Buhari has expressed happiness over the level of progress being made by the country to achieve food security. The President stated this while addressing members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Daura locality. The President had received the corps on the occasion to mark Sallah day celebration. Speaking to reporters, the President thanked Almighty God for a bumper harvest being recorded across the country. “I hope the rainy season will be as good as the previous ones so that there would be plenty of food so that we may even completely stop importation of food items,” he said.
The President wished all Nigerians a happy and successful celebration and expressed delight that the country was spending less on food importation.
According to him, the development is a major boost to the agricultural policies of his administration. On the mammoth crowd chanting “Sai Baba” on his way back home after performing the Eid-el- Kabir prayer at Daura Eidground, the president said he did not expect anything less from his ‘immediate constituency’.
“I am very happy about it (the warm reception) and I do not expect anything less from my immediate base,” he said. While receiving serving corps members in Daura community – an audience that has become part of his schedule during the Sallah celebrations in past years – he reaffirmed his support for the scheme established in 1973. Buhari told the corps members that: “It is better to know all about the country than for people to be state-inclined.”
Buhari, in the spirit of the season, donated a bull, 10 bags of rice and N500,000 to the corps members. “I always look forward to meeting the NYSC team because I served mostly in the South when I was in the military,” said the president. He recalled that during his military career, many people did not know much outside their immediate environment.
“For them (NYSC members) to be brought to the desert or near the Sahel region is a very difficult thing, but it will make an impact on Nigeria. “I have personally spoken to Gen. Yakubu Gowon to thank him for having the initiative to start the NYSC programme. It is very good for Nigeria,” he said.
The president formally welcomed the corps members to the ancient town of Daura and asked them to enjoy their service year. In his remarks, the Corps Liaison Officer, Mr. Jibrin Ishak, thanked the president for prioritising the welfare of the youth to secure their future through his style of leadership and developmental initiatives. “The voice of the people is the voice of God and by the grace of God, we pray that in 2019 you will continue to be president of Nigeria to do more for us,” Ishak said. Representative of the corps members prayed God to sustain the president with good health, long life and prosperity.
