Buhari: I'm Not Bothered by Defections Because Nigerians Believe in Me

President Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend in Lome, the Togolese capital, said he was not bothered about the gale of defections going on in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The president, according to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, was responding to a question during an interactive session with the Nigerian community in Togo at the Nigerian Embassy, saying most Nigerians appreciated the performance of his administration. 

He quoted him as saying: “I am not bothered about the defections. Ordinary Nigerians have developed confidence in us and are defending us. I assure you majority of Nigerians back home are appreciative of our efforts.”

The statement said Buhari expressed delight in seeing the Nigerians who had traveled from the five regions of Togo to welcome him in Lome adding that he was pleased to be commended on the performance of his administration.

It also said the president assured them that his administration had remained steadfast by living up to its three campaign promises on provision of security, improvement of the economy and fighting corruption.

According to Shehu, the president said if the past administrations had utilised even 25 per cent of the huge oil revenue available to them, Nigerians would not be complaining today, "citing the $16 billion reportedly spent on electricity and yet Nigerians could not see the power."

He also said the president restated his administration’s commitment to providing critical infrastructure and provision of loans to farmers which he said had helped in cutting rice importation by more than 90 per cent adding that all recovered illegally acquired assets would now be sold and the money paid into the treasury in the administration’s renewed anti-graft campaign.

“I assure you that we are making progress in security as some displaced farmers are returning to their farms. We will continue to work very hard for our dear country,” he was further quoted.

The statement also said the Nigerian Ambassador to Togo, Joseph Olusola Iji, in his welcome address, submitted that close to 2 million Nigerians in Togo were law-abiding and peaceful but drew the attention of the president to the inability of the Nigerian Mission in Lome to issue Nigerian passports and compelling applicants to go to Ghana or Benin Republic to obtain passports.

The statement added: "While representatives of top bank executives commended the economic policies of the federal government especially the Ease of Doing Business, agricultural revolution and anti-corruption campaign, various leaders of the Nigerian Community also lauded the discipline, transparency and accountability that the current administration has introduced into governance.

"They also called for government assistance towards the completion of community’s on-going school building project in order to overcome the lack of good English schools in that country. 

"On its part, the APC Togo chapter, told President Buhari not to be worried about the defections from the party, assuring him of its support in the 2019 presidential election."