President Muhammadu Buhari said he had been in trouble for a long time in his service and political journey.
President Buhari said this at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai Elkanemi, during his visit to Borno State on Thursday.
Vanguard had reported that the President was in the state to visit the Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai, Mamalari Cantonment, and commission some projects.
In his welcome address the monarch thanked the President for his concern for the people of Borno State, especially in the provision of necessary arms and ammunition.
Responding Buhari said: “My mother is a Hausa and Kanuri, while my father is 100 percent a Fulani man, so I keep on fighting everybody,” which elicited laughter from everyone.
The President then said: “My first political appointment was here; I was a governor only for seven months when the then Head of State General Murtala Mohammed, was assassinated. I went back and served under General Olusegun Obasanjo as Minister of Petroleum.
“So I think I have really been in trouble for a long time: as governor, Minister of Petroleum, Head of State, detention, contested three times for presidency, went to the Supreme Court three times, and the last time I said ‘God dey and God dey,’ I won the election in 2015.”
Meanwhile, the projects President Buhari commissioned during the visit include the Government Day Technical College, Borno State University Senate building in Njimtilo, 10,000 housing estate for Internally-Displaced Persons, IDPs, Abbaganaram Maternal Health Care Centre with over 50 bed capacity and well-equipped laboratory.
Others are the Vocational Training Institute in Muna, Dr. Babagana Wakil Memorial School, Jiddari Polo roads and drainage networks.
Below are more photographs from the visit:
