President Muhammadu Buhari @ 73

Check out 73 words of wisdom from the Nigerian president, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The President on this day, Thursday,  December 17th celebrates his 73rd birthday.

See his 73 words of wisdom,

ON CORRUPTION AND ECONOMY

1. We will stop corruption and make the ordinary people, the weak and the vulnerable our top priority.

2. Any war waged on corruption should not be misconstrued as settling old scores or a witch-hunt. I’m running for president to lead Nigeria to prosperity and not adversity.

3. Corruption will have no place and the corrupt will not be appointed into my administration.

4. This generation of Nigerians, and, indeed the future generation, have no country other than Nigeria; we shall stay and salvage it together!

5. We cannot build an economy where corruption is the working capital.

6. We will be a compassionate government, for out of compassion arises the truest forms of wealth and progress a society can attain.

7. No longer shall illegal flows of massive sums leave these shores to finance other economies. While our people languish in poverty, we effectively give financial aid to nations that is not justified. I am sick of this. It must stop. The money saved will finance jobs, health care and the provision of social safety net for the needy, weak and vulnerable of our land.

8. We shall strongly battle another form of evil that is even worse than terrorism – the evil of corruption.

9. We shall send corrupt politicians to Kirikiri.

10. I will stabilise global oil price.

ON BOKO HARAM AND INSECURITY

11. Boko Haram is a mindless, godless group who are as far away from Islam as one can think of.

12. Progress has been made in recent weeks by our security forces, but victory cannot be achieved by basing the command and control centre in Abuja. The command centre will be relocated to Maiduguri and remain until Boko Haram is completely subdued.

13. But we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents.

14. Boko Haram is a typical example of small fires causing large fires. An eccentric and unorthodox preacher with a tiny following was given posthumous fame and following by his extra judicial murder at the hands of the police.

15. They have to prove to us that the girls are alive, they are well, and then we can promise we can negotiate. We will negotiate if we certify that the girls are alive.

16. For now the armed forces will be fully charged with prosecuting the fight against Boko Haram. We shall overhaul the rules of engagement to avoid human rights violations in operations.

17. There are many reasons why vulnerable young people join militant groups, but among them are poverty and ignorance. Indeed Boko Haram – which translates in English, roughly, as ‘Western Education Is Sinful’ – preys on the perverted belief that the opportunities that education brings are sinful.

18. The misappropriation of resources provided by the government for weapons means the Nigerian military is unable to beat Boko Haram.

19. Stop killing our people.

20. If you are starving and young and in search of answers as to why your life is so difficult, fundamentalism can be alluring. We know this for a fact because former members of Boko Haram have admitted it: they offer impressionable young people money and the promise of food, while the group’s mentors twist their minds with fanaticism.

21. You shall be able to go to bed knowing you are safe… Insurgents would soon know the strength of the collective will of Nigerians.

22. We are going to erect and maintain an efficient, disciplined people – friendly and well-compensated security forces within an over – all security architecture.

23. We stand united in our pledge to resist terror in Nigeria – not just through military means but also through the power of opportunity and the hope of a better future for all.

ON RELIGION

24. I will continue to show openly and inside me the total commitment to the Sharia movement that is sweeping all over Nigeria… God willing, we will not stop the agitation for the total implementation of the Sharia in the country. (Note: the call was made in August 2001 and, apparently, concerned only areas where Muslims predominated).

25. Religion is a personal affair. If you want to visit Mecca or Jerusalem do it with your personal funds. Sponsorship of religious pilgrimages is illegal, unconstitutional and lack of fairness.

26. Because they can’t attack our record, they accuse me falsely of ethnic jingoes; they accuse me falsely of religious fundamentalism. Because they cannot attack our record, they accuse us falsely of calling for election violence – when we have only insisted on peace. Even as Head of State, we never imposed Sharia.

27. I urge Nigerians to put aside religion, politics and all other divisions to crush the insurgency.

28. Religion must never be used as an excuse to divide us, oppress others or gain unfair advantage.

ON THE FORMER GOVERNMENT

29. Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences.

30. I would like to thank President Goodluck Jonathan for his display of statesmanship in setting a precedent for us that has now made our people proud to be Nigerians wherever they are.

31. President Jonathan has nothing to fear of me; we might not agree on the same methodology of governance… He is a great Nigerian leader, who made it possible for democracy to thrive. I will extend my hands of fellowship to Jonathan and his team.

ON ELECTION

2. This campaign is the third and last one for me. I will not offer myself again for election into the office of president. (Note: the promise was made before the 2011 presidential election).

33. It is up to the people. If you choose correct leadership, there won’t be any need for the military regime. The opposition has united this time to back one candidate to challenge the PDP in the presidential poll. The military came in when it was absolutely necessary and the elected people had failed the country.

34. There shall no more be a ruling party; All Progressive Congress (APC), will now be your governing party.

35. You are all my people; I will treat you all as mine. I will work for those who voted for me, voted against me and those who didn’t vote at all.

36. If what happened in 2011 (alleged rigging) should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood.’

To be continued.