President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, boasted that given the robust relationship with his kinsmen in the Niger Republic, he is confident that they would defend him in the event that Nigerians make the country difficult to live in, after he hands over power on May 29.
The President made the remarks at the official inauguration of Nigeria Customs Service Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Buhari said he has built a cordial relationship with neighbouring countries, stressing that if anyone disturbs him in Nigeria, his Niger Republic neighbours will defend him.
He noted that he would relocate to his country home in Daura, which is far away from Abuja and closer to the Niger Republic, where he famously claimed having cousins.
“I said these few things about my personal belief because I have only six more days to go. And I try to plan to be as far away from Abuja as possible. I came from an area that is far away from Abuja.
“I said if anybody with force moves, I have a good relationship with my neighbours. Niger people will defend me.”
According to him, if one did not secure the confidence of his neighbour, he or his grandchild would be in trouble.
Buhari also said he deliberately appointed women to be Ministers of Finance in his eight years in office to ward off disturbances from people looking for the award of contracts and payment of contract sums.
The President said he knows that most men would not find it easy to go to a woman as Minister of Finance to look for contracts, or get payment for jobs done because of ego and pride.
“I deliberately appointed ladies so that it will give me a lot of peace. I made sure I gave the Ministry of Finance to a lady to exploit the cultural behaviour of all Nigerians: once ladies are in charge, people feel too big to go to ladies.
“So, I am sure peace will be allowed in the Ministry of Finance where people will go and lobby for their contracts to be paid and so on. So, they feel too big to go to ladies.
“So, I put a lady in charge. That gave me a lot of peace,” he added.