President Muhammadu Buhari Friday disclosed that after successful completion of this year’s Ramadan fast, he is much healthier, eager to attend to national issues.
He said even although he was advised not to fast due to ill-health, he refused because he knows the benefits of fasting and having missed that of last year due to ill-health, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity this time around, more so when he was up to it.
“I’m very grateful to the ministers and church leadership that came to say happy Eid-Filtri to those of us that have been fasting, Buhari said when he received a delegation of Federal Capital Territory, led by the minister, Mohammed Bello to pay the traditional Sallah homage.
” A lot of people asked me if on health grounds I can default, I refused because I know the value in fasting, I cannot miss it once I can do it. Last year I didn’t because I was on health vacation but this year I have done it and I thank God because it has helped me to be much more healthier to give me the time that I need to attend to national issues.”
“Please in your constituencies emphasized what I said about 30 years ago, we don’t have another country except Nigeria we may as well remain here and salvage it together, there is nothing else we can do. Even those that had gone out are now trying to come back because they are not wanted out there. I wished that all the resources they had then they had deployed it here it would have been much better. So thank you very much and please try to persuade your constituencies to work much harder away from individualism and sectionalism.”
“I’m very pleased that we are working very hard collectively as Nigerians and that God in his infinite mercy who knows what is in the heart and not by mouth, will continue to guide us so that we accommodate each other at all times.
“What we realized between 1999-2013 as I have always said we have never realized it. It’s on record that we were producing 2.2 million barrels per day on the average, at the cost of $100 per barrel. It went up to $143 per barrel and then I think it stabilized between $80 and $90, Nigeria has never received so much money and we thank God that we have survived the crisis in no time. It is amazing that we are here because we tried four times, we earned up three times at the Supreme Court and it is no joke. I have suffered for this constituency just like I suffered in the Military, I walked from the Royal border to the sea virtually on foot, because every culvert and bridge were blown up, so we had to walk and carry our luggage.
“I think we have invested so much in this country and we will continue to pray that we stay together and let us develop the necessary confidence, work together as a people, this country is great, let us work together so that we can save a lot more and exploit more of the resources that were abandoned so many years ago.”
The delegation comprised of lawmakers, religion leaders, some cabinet members, security chiefs, presidential aides as well as privileged few FCT residence.
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