24th June, 2015
Traditional rulers from the 19 Northern states on Tuesday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, to pledge their support to the administration’s battle against insecurity.
The visit took place in the evening behind closed doors, with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, leading the Emirs..
The Gbong Gwong Jos, Jacob Gyang-Buba, told State House correspondents after the event that it was a courtesy visit to the President by the Northern monarchs and not a meeting.
“Traditional rulers from the North deemed it fit to come to congratulate Mr President, pray with him and of cause, assure of our total support and resolve to work with the government, to enable it surmount the various problems that are facing Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, the traditional rulers all identify the fact that there are so many problems, but that they need courage to solve.
He said the traditional rulers were hoping that the President would apply his sense of sincerity toward his assignment and that Nigerians would make sacrifices to enable him succeed.
“We want to count on his record of sincerity and to work with him, cooperate with him, and we are calling on all Nigerians to appreciate that we all need to make sacrifices for us to move forward.
“That is the assurance we came to give Mr President. We intend to go back to our various communities to mobilise them to cooperate, particularly to do with security and of cause, whatever can be done about the economy,” Gyang-Buba said.
The former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service said that Buhari gave the assurance to partner with the traditional rulers in his development agenda.
“Mr president gave assurance as he has always done.”
He noted that Buhari “is not a person to be afraid of giving assurances, and with good intent at that”.
He however noted that “one person cannot do it all”.
“That is why we all need to rally round and work together, so that we can overcome by the Grace of God,” he said.