Agency Report/
President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the criticism of his 800-metre Sallah Day walk by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant and former vice president of Nigeria.
Buhari said that his 800-metre walk from Eid-praying ground in Daura, Katsina State, on Sallah Day to his home, was not about testing his physical fitness but to show respect to thousands of people who wanted to greet him on that day.
The President spoke when he received some socio-political groups from Daura Emirate Council, who paid him Sallah homage at his private residence in Daura on Friday.
He said that the trekking had nothing to do with his bid to seek re-election in 2019, adding that he had since made his intention known to Nigerians about his political ambition.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Atiku criticised Buhari’s action and called on Nigerians to vote for him so that he could work and not walk.
The President, who spoke in Hausa, said: “Let me react to some media reports about my trekking on Sallah day insinuating that I trekked to demonstrate my fitness for 2019 presidential election.
‘‘They were not seeing me, so I came down so they could see me.
“I didn’t need to convince anyone about my health and the decision to contest for a second term- a decision that I made public in April this year.
“After the prayer, I noticed that many people wanted to see and I was in a black vehicle and security men were blocking them from seeing me.
“So, I opted to trek in spite of the security implications because I knew nothing would happen to me by the grace of Allah.”
The President seized the opportunity of his meeting with his kinsmen to inform them that he has directed the Ministry of Agriculture and the CBN to review the processes on the issuance of loans to smallholder farmers.
He said: ‘‘We want to make it easier for them to access the loans, particularly the underprivileged people in the society.
“It has become necessary for the government to do this because banks will insist on collaterals which majority of farmers do not have.
“For our agriculture policy to succeed, we must be able to reach smallholders farmers with loans without collaterals. Collaterals are always a problem with smallholder farmers.’’
Buhari also highlighted the achievements of the administration on local rice productions, which had expectedly led to the reduction of imports by over 90 per cent.
The President expressed delight that young people were returning to the farms and reaffirmed the Federal government’s commitment to the implementation of policies that will promote agriculture.
The spokesman of the group, Malam Yusuf Mai’adua, applauded the President on his numerous achievements.
‘‘You have made us proud, the economy is back on the path of growth and you have laid a solid foundation for the development of the country,’’ he said.
Mai’adua disclosed the plans of the groups to organise a massive rally for his 2019 campaign, “as soon as the ban on the political campaign is lifted’’. He invited him to make out time to attend.
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