What Buhari told visiting CAN leaders in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari, has stated that his vision and objectives
for Nigeria are very clear and he is on course to achieving them.

Buhari said this when he received members of the Christian Association
of Nigeria, CAN, led by its President, Reverend (Dr,) Samson Ayokunle
in State House, Abuja on Friday.

According to Buhari, he was doing his best to fulfill his electoral
promises of securing the country, fighting corruption and
resuscitating the economy.

President Buhari said that fighting corruption takes longer time
especially with the need to adhere to the rule of law.

The details of President Buhari's meeting with CAN was made available
to DAILY POST by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi
Adesina.

Buhari stated, "It is on record that some cases initiated by the
anti-graft bodies since 2003 are yet to be concluded. We will,
however, not be discouraged. Where monies have been recovered, such
monies will not find their way back to the looters as I have directed
EFCC to account for every money it has recovered and put them in a
dedicated account."

Responding to the request of CAN for an overhaul of the intelligence
gathering system , President Buhari said the burden of intelligence
gathering involves everyone especially district heads , traditional
rulers, opinion leaders and especially religious leaders that are very
close to the grassroots.

He added that bandits who are operating in various communities live
among the people and enjoined leaders of thought in various
communities to avail security agencies of information about the
criminals.

President Buhari also told the visitors that he had assurances from
the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that the 2019
elections will be free and fair as he has been victim of fraudulent
elections and beneficiary of free and fair election in the past.

Buhari added, "When I decided to put on this Agbada to see what the
people are seeing in it, I tried three times, 2003, 2007 and 2011, but
the fourth time, in 2015, I succeeded. We thank God and technology in
the form of permanent voters card and card reader, because what they
used to do was to look at constituencies, award the votes and then
they will say whoever didn't agree should go to court. When people are
looking for what to eat, where do they have the money to go to court
to pay the SANs?"

On farmers and herders clashes, President Buhari told the visitors
that government was working towards finding a lasting solution to it.

The CAN delegation had lauded the President for his efforts in
fighting corruption, the initiatives to stem the tide of unemployment,
the various efforts aimed at revamping the economy, the fight against
Boko Haram terrorists and the implementation of the Bank Verification
Number and the Treasury Single Account.

They, however, called on the President, to, ensure that the security
agencies are non-partisan as we head to 2019 elections; restore peace
to troubled spots in Northern parts of the country especially in the
Garshish District of Plateau State, and institute a judicial panel of
enquiry to look into the killings in the North Central particularly
the murder of Major General Idris Alkali (rtd) and the Royal Highness
of the Adara Kingdom in Kaduna, Dr Maiwada Raphael Galadima.

They also called on the President to; ensure that Nigeria does not go
back into recession; urgently resolve the issue of minimum wage and to
task the security agencies to ensure the release of Miss Leah Sharibu
and other Chibok girls still in captivity.