President Muhammadu Buhari |
He insisted that he is "determined to help strengthen the electoral process" as a legacy he will bequeath before leaving office.
He said, “I will be standing down in 2023 and will not be available in any future elections,” the president wrote.
Buhari’s clarification comes amidst fears by some Nigerians that he was seeking a backdoor to continue in office beyond the constitutionally permitted 2023.
In his letter titled, ‘A Letter from the President at New Year’, President Buhari stated that his primary concern is the security of the nation and the safety of its citizens.
“When I assumed office in May 2015, my first task was to rally our neighbours so that we could confront Boko Haram on a coordinated regional basis. Chaos is not a neighbour any of us hope for.
“We have been fighting on several fronts: violent extremists, cultists and organised criminal networks. It has not been easy. But as we are winning the war, we also look to the challenge of winning the peace, the reconstruction of lives, communities and markets. The North East Development Commission will work with local and international stakeholders to help create a new beginning for the North East,” he said.