Like Ex-President Jonathan, Nigerians will love, miss Buhari when he leaves office – Presidency

The Presidency has said Nigerians will appreciate and miss President Muhammadu Buhari when he leaves office later this year. 

In an interview in Abuja on Monday, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), Garba Shehu, expressed confidence that despite the heavy criticism of Buhari during his administration, Nigerians will miss him when he leaves office this year.

Stating that leaders do not get the desired love in the office, he cited the experience of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who even though was harassed out of office, has become the darling of many Nigerians and Africans.

While noting that he has no regrets in the cause of his job, he lamented the criticisms targeted against President Buhari saying: “The thing is that all of the things they keep saying against the president, my own sense is that we as Nigerians we don’t like our leaders.

“There will be love at first sight, there will honeymoon period when they come in and the honeymoon period does not last a year.

“And then, love is replaced by hatred. We don’t like them. It is after they leave office that people will begin to say, ah, where is this man? If he was here, ABC would not happen.

“Look at how we came in 2015 and you see the glory with which Mr Jonathan treated, is received not only in Nigeria but in the entire continent.

“People will ask the question, is he the same one that Nigerians said they didn’t like in 2015?

“So, we are comfortable in our hearts and in our minds – President Buhari will go, Nigerians will yearn for him. They will yearn for him when he leaves.”

The presidential spokesman affirmed that the cashless policy of the President Buhari administration is irreversible, arguing that it is desirable as in other parts of the world.

He said: “Cashless is the way forward for Nigeria because cashless nations all over the world, in fact, all advanced nations of the world have gone cashless.

“Those of us who are coming behind, there are others who are well ahead of us even among developing countries.

“So, it’s the way to go. It’s irreversible.”