President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said that with the quantum of problems his administration inherited, he sometimes wondered why he had to seek power at this time.

Buhari spoke in London while addressing members of the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom.

Our correspondent obtained a transcript of the President’s address to the gathering on Friday.

Buhari said he wondered why oil, which used to sell for over $140 per barrel, would reduce to $30 per barrel during his time as the President.

Notwithstanding the problem, however, Buhari said he kept praying to God to be merciful to the over 170 million Nigerians who are exposed to poverty, illiteracy and other social ills.

He said, “With the problems we have in this government, I sometimes wonder. At least, this time around, I asked for it, I prayed for it, I went round the country and I asked for it. But the first time under the military, I allowed the military to take decision.

“But I say why me? Why is it that it is when they have spent all the money, when they made the country insecure that I returned?
“Why didn’t I come when the treasury was full? Oil price was over $140 per barrel and when I came, it slipped down to $30. Why me?
“I keep on praying to God to pity Nigeria and its over 170 million people who are exposed to climate change, illiteracy and poverty.”

The President, however, said his administration had succeeded in mopping up over N2.2trn as of January through the Treasury Single Account arrangement.

He said although the TSA was introduced by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, that administration could not implement it for reasons best known to its officials.

He said his administration decided to implement the arrangement when he came on board and discovered that the country was broke.
The President said, “You know the condition we are in now. I am sure with demands from home, in spite of what your effort is, you know we are really in trouble.

“We have tried to impose what we call Treasury Single Account. The reason is simple. This government did not initiate it, it was initiated by the previous government. But it was so unpopular to the bureaucracy, so the previous government for its own reasons, could not impose it.

“But when we came and we found out that we were broke, we said this is the way to do it.

“I will tell you two examples to convince you. Firstly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had more than 45 accounts. Ministry of Defence had more than 70 accounts. Tell me which Accountant-General can trace all these accounts?

“So, we imposed TSA. By the end of December, coming to January 2016, we mopped up more than N2.2trn which would have been used through bureaucratic system to raise vouchers and sign cheques so that they don’t go into the next budget.”

The President said Nigeria owed the United States and Britain a lot of appreciation for stopping the former administration from rigging the last presidential election.

He recalled that ahead of the elections, the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), urged the service chiefs and the then Inspector-General of Police to tell officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission that they could not guarantee their safety during the polls.

He said the then Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, however, gave a comprehensive report at a meeting of the National Council of State, where he said he would be able to deliver, at least, 60 per cent free and fair election.
The President said as of that time, the country had never gone beyond 45 per cent.

He said it took the intervention of US Secretary of State, John Kerry, for the last administration to conduct credible election.

He said, “Then we insisted that election must be done according to the constitution.

“At this point again, I must hasten to thank the United States for sending the Secretary of State, Kerry, to go and read the riot act to the previous government and speak to Prof. Jega, the Chairman of INEC and speak to us as opposition that the US would not tolerate any election outside the Nigerian constitution.

“They maintained the pressure from that date until after the election and the formation of the new government.

“I think Nigerians honestly should thank the US for this. The same thing with Britain, they used all their experience and their powers to make sure that the Federal Government did not rig the last election.

“We thank God, we thank these super powers and we thank technology. Why we thank technology is because of the permanent voter cards and the card readers.”

Buhari said the issue of Diaspora voting had been coming up in all the countries he had visited since the inception of his administration.

Copyright PUNCH.

Mr. President.

In 1985 you were rudely interrupted by that guy called Babaginda, who actually started the downfall of Nigeria with so much introduction of corruption into the polity, Structural Adjustment Programme that took Nigeria 40 Years backward, and when he was leaving in a hurry gave us the spineless one called Shonekan, who in turn signed Nigeria to Abacha when men in Guns rounded him up in his Boxers Short in the Night.

Babangida made corruption an institution in Nigeria, only rivaled by the clueless one. A clueless one, so clueless it is even rumoured he copied some EXPO on his LAP to be able to pass his PHD exams.

And so PDP swore that Nigeria and Nigerians must suffer. If Nigeria was a girl, the way the PDP raped Nigeria would have made the girl permanently crippled. And so we took our Prayers to God , we cried to God to send us a Moses before the PDP rape us, to the extent that our legs will be cut off.

Unfortunately, you took over from a man who had already killed Nigeria, and you had to go to the Cemetary to wrestle the Coffin from him before he buried us.

And so God answered our Prayers.

And that is why you are the President.

Don't be discouraged Mr. President. Their intention is to frustrate your govt. cos they know you've got the interest of the masses at heart.
God will continue to grant you the wisdom to direct the affairs of this great country.

Keep up the good works.

"“But I say why me? Why is it that it is when they have spent all the money, when they made the country insecure that I returned?“Why didn’t I come when the treasury was full? Oil price was over $140 per barrel and when I came, it slipped down to $30. Why me?""

the question is, did he actually say the above? if he did, na Bleep up especially adding WHY ME. if you are discouraged as our leader what then do u expect us to do as ur followers? Mr. president, we can get there together, lets be hopeful and positive.

It's so unfortunate that he had to take over from the most destructive predecessor the world has ever known.





Baba , God shall see you through.

u better quite cos u dont knw wot ur doing dia

"It is not strength, but duration, of great sentiment that makes great men" - Friedrich Nietzsche
Sir, your assumption is for a purpose and the purpose is to write the wrong of the previous administration inspite of all odds.
With your unflinching patriotism and political will there's no mountain that is unsummountable.

#istandwithBuhari

You are facing all these problems because you are not the anointed one Sir.

Sensational journalism!

Why did you contest? Since you knew things were bad, why didn't you allow the government to continue.

I thought he said he would stabilise oil prices? This man lied to his followers

Anyi2015:
u better quite cos u dont knw wot ur doing dia

Go and learn how to spell b4 coming here to confuse us. It's quit not quite.

raker300:
Why did you contest? Since you knew things were bad, why didn't you allow the government to continue.

how do you even reason?

He should then resign and go back to his cows in duara

Pidggin:
You are facing all these problems because you are not the anointed one Sir.

Why didn't vote in the anointed one? Since you've got the anointing to recognize anointed leaders.

appini:
He should then resign and go back to his cows in duara

So that your fam can come cart away the left overs.

Buhari is too sincere

Most times I ask my self if u was in buhari's shoes what would I have done differently and most times I see that he is doing his best

The only place I disagree with him is in agriculture I believe we need to declare a set of emergency in that sector

Today na my birthday so make una show some love

mrvitalis:
Most times I ask my self if u was in buhari's shoes what would I have done differently and most times I see that he is doing his best

The only place I disagree with him is in agriculture I believe we need to declare a set of emergency in that sector

Today na my birthday so make una show some love

meet me in quilox this night make my girls show u real love

Be like say na himself blame this time around

sonOfLucifer:

how do you even reason?

pls tell me what I said that is wrong. He knew things were bad when he contested, didn't he?

H promised he would make things better, didn't he?

Y is he complaining now?

If he can't deliver, he should pls honourably step aside

Jonathan never planned to leave power, threats by the US and others seem to cleared drunkenness from his head. Nigeria will be great.

Caseless:
It's so unfortunate that he had to take over from the most destructive predecessor the world has ever known.





Baba , God shall see you through.

What the Ineffectual Buffoon did to this country is unpardonable honestly. They screwed things up so badly especially in the last days before their departure to foreclose any chances of Baba succeeding. It was their game plan to sabotage his efforts ahead of time and use the seeming failure to blackmail APC out of Aso Rock.

This is why I insist Baba hits them harder and harder to ensure PDP as a party NEVER rises again.

Baba is being too democratic for my comfort.

Progressive01:
[/quote] recieve sense

Caseless post=42663305:
It's so unfortunate that he had to take over from the most destructive predecessor the world has ever known.
Baba , God shall see you through.

[quote author=Progressive01 post=42663879]

when will you guys wake up to the reality. Receive sense in Jesus name

This Buhari is officially wailing....

Leave the kitchen if the heat is too much for you

That's how APC rolls, from blaming others to blaming themselves for coming to rule now.

Welcome to the wailers club

Progressive01:
What the Ineffectual Buffoon did to this country is unpardonable honestly. They screwed things up so badly especially in the last days before their departure to foreclose any chances of Baba succeeding. It was their game plan to sabotage his efforts ahead of time and use the seeming failure to blackmail APC out of Aso Rock.

This is why I insist Baba hits them harder and harder to ensure PDP as a party NEVER rises again.

Baba is being too democratic for my comfort.

This is the highest order of hypocrisy, offcourse his main aim is make Nigeria better than the last administration and trust me playing the blame games ain't gonna help.

In order words He should simply resign if the cross is to heavy to bear...

vedaxcool:
Jonathan never planned to leave power, threats by the US and others seem to cleared drunkenness from his head. Nigeria will be great.

You guys can believe anything you want but am sure that if Jonathan wanted to rig himself back to office, he could have done that and nothing will happen!

America ko, mumurica ni

Mr. president I sincerely commend your sincerity. it seems you mean well for Nigeria. please do them a favour and take a 'bow' if it's the best option. But ...

stop telling us cockk and bull stories. You said you were coming to fixed nigeria irrespective how the situation or condition of nigeria is.
You people messed up this country.this is what happen when country depends solely on crude oil.
mr man,seek the advise of able economist like pat utomi or invite ngozi okonjo iweala to sort things out.
As you can see,things re getting hot every blessed day dollar rises up.
I used to supplied A4 papers to business centre users when the price was btw 2900 to 3100naira highest,but now i cant do that again cos of dollar going up like skyscrappers.
You can imagine,1 carton of A4paper now is btw 5000 or 5100naira.
if you want to print your cv or document, they will charge ten naira for each copy now.
Buhari,you should have given other able men a chance from apc.not you,i dont want you as a president and i dont want jonathan either but somebody else that s able to listen to others.

oh ok

Bugatie:


You guys can believe anything you want but am sure that if Jonathan wanted to rig himself back to office, he could have done that and nothing will happen!

America ko, mumurica ni

Don't mind that fool, they should keep on deceiving themselves.

No be only America...