Buhari to Nigerians: At 72, I can only do little

President Muhammadu Buhari has again said that his love for Nigeria propelled him to run for the presidency the fourth time.
Buhari however hastened to say that at 72, there is little he could do though he would have loved to do more if he were to be younger.
President Buhari spoke on Tuesday while addressing Nigerians resident in South Africa after attending the 25th meeting of the African Union.
According to him: “How I wish I became Head of State when I was a governor, just a few years as a young man.
“Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do.
“But what brought me there I think mainly is because I love this country.
“I was in the war front for 30 months during our civil war.
“I lost a lot of loyal people to me.
“I lost a relative.
“A lot of Nigerians did too.
“We lost about two million Nigerian lives just to keep Nigeria one.
“We are going to remain one country.
“God has given us another opportunity to reorganize this country.
“Those who work hard, the society will pay them back.”
On the alleged money laundering that almost caused diplomatic row between Nigeria and South Africa, Buhari said he would soon host President Jacob Zuma in Abuja and will ask him about the money.
He said: “I’m told there are 83 Nigerians in prison.
“I don’t know what they have done but I spoke to the President of South Africa this afternoon.
“He wants to come to Nigeria.
“There are issues he wants to talk about.
“I will certainly talk to him.
“I hope our ambassador will send a comprehensive report about the court cases, about those who lost properties during the disturbances.
“And at that time, I will attempt to ask him about our $9.7 million, which was not correctly transferred.”
President Buhari assured them that his party, the All Progressives Congress, will do everything possible to secure the country and kill corruption.
His words: “That is why the APC’s fundamental campaign, the discussions we made where three things that were identified.
“We have to secure the country, then sufficiently manage it by making sure the economy is put right and youths are employed, and then try and then try and kill corruption.
“I didn’t say this first.
“There are people before me who said if we don’t kill corruption in Nigeria, corruption will kill us.
“So this APC’s administration intends to kill corruption in Nigeria.
“We will do our best I assure you.”
The President however urged Nigerians to be good ambassadors of the country and respect the laws and culture of their host country.
He said: “And please those of you who have the opportunity to come here and represent us, make sure you are always aware that you are representing Nigeria.
“The ambassador is the official representative of Nigeria here, but you are all ambassadors of Nigeria and this needs a lot of patience, a lot of restraint and a lot of self respect and self pride.
“I listened to the President of South Africa.
“He spoke to us at length on xenophobia.
“In the draft I was given, I cancelled xenophobia and replaced it with civil disturbances.
“You all know how they came to where they are.
“For how long was South Africa under apartheid?
“At least black South Africans were reduced to virtually nothing!
“And the Murtala/Obasanjo regimes classified them as state.
“Only God knows how much of Nigeria’s money was sent to these people to support them.
“And you know Namibia, Zambabwe, South Africa, Angola, it is in the history of Africa and the world that Nigeria was responsible for virtually financing the destruction of apartheid in Southern Africa.
“I refused to speak from this draft speech because I wanted to speak to you from the bottom of my heart.
“Please keep Nigeria’s pride close to your heart, make sure you behave yourselves.
“If you find yourselves here, obey their laws.
“Where you don’t obey their law, you will have to bear the consequences.”