Next four years will be tough, hints Buhari

• Says, ‘I’m Fit To Lead’
• Cabinet Members Congratulate President

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, warned of tougher times for Nigerians, following his renewed mandate to pilot the affairs of the country in the next four years.

The President spoke in Abuja while receiving members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) who were in the Presidential Villa to congratulate him over his victory at last Saturday’s Presidential election conducted by the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, the next phase of his administration will be a continuation of the focus on tackling insecurity, fighting corruption and creating jobs for Nigeria’s teeming youths of the country among others.The President said his ability to traverse the 36 states of the country including Abuja during the campaigns was prove to his skeptics of his medical fitness to continue with the rigorous task of providing leadership.

He said his campaign, sometimes in two states per day, was also a proof of his sound disposition and readiness to provide leadership for the next four years. Buhari said: “During the campaigns, I tried to visit the 36 states and Abuja, firstly, to prove to the other side (opposition) that I’m fit. I tried to cover two states per day and secondly, not to make anybody feel that any state had been left out.

“So, I thank God that He gave me the strength and health to see through my plan and I think it is appreciated. If I have lost the election, I don’t know how many of them (minister) will be here.“My last lap of four years, I think it is going to be tough because people are being forgetful.

That was why wherever I went, I reminded them of the campaign promise of our party, particularly security, as I kept on saying that you have to secure the country well and institutions. “If you don’t secure the country, you can’t achieve anything no matter how many programmes you put in place.”

The President also hailed his administration’s strides in the area of agriculture, where he said the government made tremendous savings in foreign exchange and ploughing the resources for use in other sectors including infrastructure provision.“I think we are also lucky that through the governors in some states like Lagos, Ogun, Kebbi, Jigawa, Ebonyi, in particular, we don’t import rice but we have savings from rice in terms of foreign exchange which we put in the budget and use for infrastructure.

“That is a very good thing because the oil sector is becoming very difficult to predict. It is becoming unpredictable and depending on it makes us materially insecure but thank goodness, agriculture has come to save it and people are appreciating it.”At the brief ceremony that started around 12:00 noon, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, spoke on behalf of the public service and congratulated the President and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for their victory at the polls.

According to him, the President’s victory was a well-deserved success as it was a referendum of honesty and sincerity, adding that the public service totally aligned itself with the millions of other Nigerians who queued up at the polling units to cast their ballots.Nineteen ministers were present during the occasion held inside the Council chamber in Aso Rock and attended by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj Gen Babagana Mongunu (rtd) and some presidential aides. Two congratulatory cards were presented to the President by Mustapha and Oyo-Ita, respectively.