President Muhammadu Buhari, on 31st December 2022, noted that his administration has recorded visible achievements in the last seven years, by doing his best for Nigeria, admonishing his successor to pick up from where he stopped in ensuring the country becomes one of the world's leading nations by the end of the century. Buhari revealed in his new year message that he is open to criticisms as well as accolades as he leaves office in the next five months, also urging politicians to resist attempts to disrupt the forthcoming general election.
He said: “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 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. This message is in essence valedictory.
“After having the honor of serving you, my compatriots, for the last seven-plus years, my tenure as your President in the most revered tradition of our ongoing and maturing democracy must necessarily come to an end.
“These electoral and democratic principles are working in concert because of the transcendent beliefs, beyond partisan politics, of you the great citizen of Nigeria. “The collective electoral will and votes of Nigerians will be fulfilled, even in the twilight moments of my watch.”
“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.
“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.”
