President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians hurt by his administration policies to pardon him.
He issued the apology on Friday, April 21 when he hosted guests at the ninth and final Sallah homage held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Buhari recalled his regime as military governor of Borno State in 1976, Minister of Petroleum Resources in the same year and one-time Head of State (1983 – 1985), saying he sees himself as a lucky and fulfilled politician.
The president, who was sworn in on May 29, 2015, thanked citizens for tolerating his eight-year tenure.
He said; “Those that think that I have hurt them so much, please pardon me. I think this is a very good coincidence for me to say goodbye to you and thank you for tolerating me for more than seven and a half years.
“I honestly consider myself very lucky; I was made a governor, minister of petroleum, head of state in uniform, then after three attempts, God, through technology and PVC, I became president. I think God has given me an incredible opportunity to serve as your president. And I thank God for that.
“So, please, whoever feels I have done wrong to them, we are all humans. There is no doubt I hurt some people and I wish you will pardon me. And those that think that I have hurt them so much, please pardon me”.
Speaking of his retirement plans, Buhari said; “I am counting the days. Democracy is a good thing; otherwise, how can somebody from the other side be a president for two terms? From my home town to the Niger Republic is eight kilometers.
“I assure you, I have deliberately arranged to be as far away from you as possible, not because I don’t appreciate the love you’ve shown to me, but because I think I’ve gotten what I have asked and I would rather quietly retire to my hometown (Daura, Katsina).”
