I look forward to 2023 to go take charge of my farm, Buhari says at 79

President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed he is anticipating the end of his tenure in 2023 to go home and take charge of his farm at Daura, in Katsina state.

The president said this on Friday in Istanbul, Turkey, in celebration of his 79th birthday while cutting a birthday cake moulded in national colours, green-white-green.

According to a statement by Garba Shehu, “On his 79th birthday, today Friday in Istanbul, Turkey, President Muhammadu Buhari cut a birthday cake moulded in national colours, green-white-green to start the day, went straight to chair a planning meeting with officials in his delegation and thereafter drove to the Dolmabahce Palace for a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Recep Erdogan.

“In response to the tribute on the occasion on behalf of the ministers and the rest of the delegation rendered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, President Buhari said he will put in his best for Nigeria until the last day when, in 2023 he hands over to a successor and returns to his farm to tender crops and livestock.

“I thought that being away from Abuja I will escape these things. The Guards Brigade had written to tell me what they wanted to do on this day. Now here you are doing this far away from home.

“I look forward to the year 2023 when I finish, to go home to take charge of my farm. Between now and that time, I will do the best that is possible to advance the interest of the nation and its people, and carry out my duties as prescribed by the Constitution,” he said.

“As he stepped out of his suite moving to the meeting room, President Buhari met a surprise lineup of the Nigerian delegation with a cake decorated in Nigeria’s national colours.

“The group broke into a chorus, as they began chanting “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.””