By Ayodele Oni
President Mohammadu Buhari has used the opportunity of his new year message to Nigerians to take stock of his administration on the last seven years, concluding that he has fulfilled his mission.
The administration is expected to terminate on May 29 2023, with Nigerians preparing to elect Buhari”s successor in less than 60 days time.
In his 2023 New Year message to Nigerians, Buhari expressed the hope that the next president will pick up the baton and continue his good legacies.
“As we welcome the New Year, let us look with hope to 2023, a year to move forward as a Nation towards unity, progress, and prosperity.
“I offer my own personal felicitations, mindful of the various opinions and interpretations of our executive legacies.
“I welcome and accept both the accolades and criticisms in an equal measure secure in the conviction that I did my best to serve our dear country Nigeria
“And I pray that the next President will also pick up the baton and continue the race to make Nigeria one of the leading countries of the world by the end of this century.”
President Buhari said each New Year is an opportunity to reflect on the past year, reposition, and move forward with the New.
The President is if the view that Nigerians must also acknowledge the passing away of our brothers and sisters who didn’t make it into this New Year, praying that may their souls rest in perfect peace.
He further said this year was particularly important to him because this message is in essence valedictory.
According to him, after having the honour of serving Nigerians for the last seven-plus years, he said “my tenure as your President in the most revered tradition of our ongoing and maturing democracy must necessarily come to an end.
“Reflecting on the year 2022 allows us as a government to examine our legacies of successes and challenges.
“As we celebrate our wins and review obstacles, we all must understand that governance is a continuum, which still places a transitional responsibility on this administration to provide for the incoming government a non-partisan and objective roadmap for 2023.
“We as Nigeria; one country united under the will of God and actively growing as an indivisible entity, have been enabled year after year, decade after decade, to weather all stormy waters and emerge stronger and better where others have fallen and disintegrated. This has made us a unique nation across the globe and our continent.
“In the year 2023, Nigerians go to the polls to exercise our right to vote and elect a new Administration, it is an important year for our country to ensure that we have another smooth transition of government, to whoever the people have decided upon.
“This administration’s landmark Amended Electoral Act will ensure that we have free and fair elections across the Nation.
“We as Nigerians must also take responsibility to ensure we participate in ensuring that the 2023 elections are free and fair by not engaging in anti-state activities and other nefarious acts that may affect the run of the polls.
“We must also resist every attempt to be used by politicians to create unrest in any form to disrupt the elections. We, as a government will ensure such activities are met with the full force of the law.
“As our security agencies continue to make the country proud, we must continue to assist our patriotic forces by providing much-needed community intelligence. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that Nigeria remains safe and peaceful for us all.
“Therefore, we have a duty and obligation to support our troops and intelligence agencies by being alert and reporting anything suspicious.”
“A number of surrendered insurgents are currently being processed by the rehabilitation (Operation Safe Corridor) program.
“The fight against banditry, kidnapping, and other crimes in the North West and other regions is gaining momentum and showing very clear results.\
“One of which is the resumption of Train Service along the Kaduna to Abuja corridor.”
