For first the time, President Muhammadu Buhari admitted that at 79, the rigors of office are affecting him.
He also blamed part of the situation on the outbreak of Covid-19 stating that the circumstance seriously lessened the number of visitors he receives daily at the Presidential Villa.
The President said this on Thursday, January 6, 2021, during and an interview with Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
According to him, he added that he was not in a position to complain because he asked for the job of presiding over the affairs of the country.
Buhari said in his words “I think that COVID-19 came to my rescue in the sense that the number of people that need to see you can’t see you. That gives you more time.
“Regarding my age, I see my colleagues, they are now resting and I assure you that I’m looking forward to the next 17 months when I too will have to be less busy. The age is telling on me, working now for 6, 7, 8 hours per day in the office is no joke.
“The Executive Council, memos from as many states as possible to be considered virtually every week. So, really, it is a lot of hard work but like I said, I asked for it so I cannot complain”.
Also, when about politics if the opposition can mobilize the strength to grab power in 2023 if the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) fails to put its house in order before its national convention.
Buhari completely said the APC should learn from the fate that befell the PDP in the 2015 general elections.
Explaining, he said the PDP which was then the ruling party was so confident and never thought that opposition parties could unite and come together to contest the presidential election.
He said by the time the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) united, it was too late for the PDP to realize its mistake.
Buhari said, “Well, we have a time frame. We have to work because the four-year cycle is constitutional; it cannot be interfered with by anybody. So, if the party cannot agree, then the opposition can take over”.
“What did the PDP do? They thought that the opposition cannot agree and come together. But when the ACN, ANPP, CPC, APGA came together, they were off. They are still off. So, they can see it” he added.
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