President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Nigerians who he must have offended in the course of his duty to forgive him 38 days before he leaves office.
The President also thanked Nigerians for tolerating him over the last eight years as he led the country’s affairs.
He addressed on Friday at the Presidential Villa’s Banquet Hall in Abuja, during his final Sallah homage by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) people led by FCT Minister Mohammed Bello.
Buhari praised democracy as the best form of administration, claiming that he could not have become president after previously serving as military Head of State without it.
He said he considered the Sallah celebration as a good coincidence to say goodbye and to “thank you for tolerating me for eight years.”
President Buhari added, “I am counting the days. Democracy is a good thing, otherwise how can somebody from the other side be a president for two terms? My hometown to the Niger Republic is eight kilometres.
“I think this is a very good coincidence for me to say goodbye to you and to thank you for tolerating me for more than seven and a half years now.
“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.
“Having been a governor, minister and the president twice, 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.”
He promised the country that nothing would derail the May 29 transition to the next administration.
The President had previously joined other Muslim believers on the parade area of the Mambilla Barracks to do the Eid el-Fitr prayer.
Buhari arrived at the airport at 9:10 a.m., escorted by members of his family and personnel aides.
Some members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), security chiefs, paramilitary leaders, and government officials were also present at the prayer ground.
