Real reasons I won’t seek third term as President- Buhari

Contrary to speculations in some quarters, President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that he will leave after his tenure in 2023, saying the country’s constitution does not permit him to seek a third term in office.


Buhari, however, urged leaders of the party to dominate their constituencies politically, warning that history will not be fair to them if  the APC collapse after his tenure in 2023.


Addressing the APC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at its national secretariat in Abuja Friday, Buhari said anybody office holder of the party “who fails to maintain the respect of his constituents and is thrown out, that is his problem.”


Speaking on whether he will relinquish power in 2023, Buhari said: “I’m not going to make the mistake of attempting a third term. Beside the age, I swore by the holy book that I would go by the constitution and the constitution said two terms. I know that I’m in my last term and I can afford to be reckless but I’m not going to ask for anybody’s vote. 


“Every member of NEC from today should reposition himself or herself to ensure that you have dominated your constituencies politically. The aim is that history will not be fair to us if outrightly if the APC collapses  at the end of this term.


“History will be fair to us if APC remains strong and hold the centre and make gains.


“I want you to read the constitution. I made sure that when the constitution says the election as we did it the last time will start in 18 months time or 20 months time, it is going to be done.”


Speaking on his presidency’s relationship with the National Assembly, Buhari said: “The executive relationship with the legislature, the National Assembly and I was constrained to tell the caucus meeting yesterday that there was a time I called the Senate President and the leader of the House and told them that to sit on a budget for seven months is not politics and it is not hurting the president whoever it is, it is not hurting the person but the country.


“For that reason I was pleased to mention yesterday that the ninth National Assembly, you can see and read it in the papers, they have so much commitment on important issues and we make a lot of progress. This relationship we will try and maintain, we cannot allow some of the things go public but I assure you that we have made a lot of progress,” the president said.


Speaking earlier, the party’s national chairman Adams Oshiomhole, who made jest of former Senate President Bukola Saraki and fourteen other Senators who left APC in 2018 to the PDP had all been defeated.


Oshiomhole boasted that the senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, will next weekend, join the other 15 National Assembly members that rebelled against the party, noting that Nigerians punished the Bukola Saraki-led rebels by retiring them.


He however lamented that in-fighting and internal wrangling denied the party re-election in Bauchi, Adamawa states, even as he assured that APC will reclaim its stolen mandate in Sokoto state.


“Mr President, I have chosen to amplify where we lost but we also made some gains that quite understanding.  I’m sure it is glading the heart of every APC member and even APC well wishers that  the man who led rebellion against our party,  former Senate President, that people of Kwara state did not only denied him return to the Senate, they also voted out every element in PDP and today from the governorship we won, Senators we won and of course the House of Representatives and state House of Assembly.


“I think our victory in Kwara state for me was most outstanding.  I think we now generally refer to Kwara with Pride as the Otooge revolution.”


The NEC meeting were attended by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, APC governors and other party leaders.
The Speaker, House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila, governor of Ogun state Dapo Abiodun were, however, represented by their deputies.

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