President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday said he has done his best for Nigeria, calling on his successor from the upcoming 2023 elections to make Nigeria one of the leading countries “by the end of this century.”

“I welcome and accept both the accolades and criticisms in equal measure, secure in the conviction that I did my best to serve our dear country Nigeria and I pray that the next President will also pick up the baton and continue the race to make Nigeria one of the leading countries of the world by the end of this century,” Mr Buhari said.

The president made this statement in his last New Year message in office on Saturday. However, Mr Buhari had last week Friday admitted that his good was not enough.

“I wonder if I am going to miss much. I think I’m being harassed. I believe I’m trying my best but still my best is not good enough,” Mr Buhari said in a documentary at a dinner organised to mark his 80th birthday in Abuja.

Also, in October, first lady Aisha Buhari apolosied to Nigerians on behalf of her husband.

“The expectations on us were so high, and maybe after seven years, we haven’t met their expectations. Only God knows what is in somebody’s mind,” Mrs Buhari told BBC Pidgin in an interview.

However, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had on several occasions claimed that the achievements of Mr Buhari will leave many Nigerians, especially critics of the regime, “breathless.”

Nigerians have witnessed gross human rights abuses, state-sponsored massacres and disappearances and also clampdown on protesters under the Buhari regime.

The Buhari regime continues to detain former National Security adviser, Dasuki Sambo, and the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, in spite of court orders granting them bail.

In 2015, shortly after Mr Buhari assumed office, over 348 members of Shiites Islamic group were massacred and buried in a mass grave by the military. Though a judicial panel indicted the Nigerian Army, over six years after the incident, no one has been prosecuted.

Similarly in 2016, Amnesty International reported how Nigerian security operatives killed 150 pro-Biafra unamred protesters.

The nationwide EndSARS protest against police brutality and extra-judicial killings by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian police, was destabilised as state-sponsored thugs unleashed mayhem on protesters under the supervision of the police.

It was made worse when on October 2020, the Nigerian Army opened live rounds on peaceful EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate, killing about 10.

A judicial panel set up by Lagos State to investigate the Lekki Massacre indicted the Nigerian army for using force on the protesters. The panel recommended the dismissal of officers who participated in the massacre and compensation of victims of the massacre.

However, the recommendations of the panel were ignored by both the Lagos State government and the Buhari-led regime, denying the October 20, 2020 massacre.

Borno State Independent Electoral Commission (BOSIEC) has fixed May 20, 2023, for the conduct of local government council elections in the state.

A statement by the commission spokesperson, Zara Alhassan, said the executive chairman of BOSIEC, Lawan Maina, announced the date in a meeting with the leadership of political parties and stakeholders on Saturday in Maiduguri.

“As you are all aware, the commission has announced the date for the local government council election to take place on May 20, 2023, by virtue of the powers conferred on the commission under Section 10 and 18 (a) of BOSIEC Law, 2002.

“Therefore, may I assure you that the commission highly values your participation and would, Insha Allah, draw the strength, encouragement, and inspiration to see that we conduct a free, fair and credible election in all the 27 Local Government councils in our dear state.

“However, the need for cooperation and good working relationship between all the registered political parties and Borno State Independent Electoral Commission (BOSIEC) cannot be overemphasised,” Mr Maina was quoted as saying in the statement.

He pointed out the importance of mutual trust and understanding among stakeholders for the election’s success.

He reiterated the commitment of BOSIEC to justify the confidence reposed in it by the political parties to provide a level playing field for all.

The meeting was attended by representatives of 14 political parties and security agencies, among others, who were updated on the level of preparations.

Former Minister of Education Obiageli Ezekwesili has said no one would be shameless to defend the state governors and President Muhammadu Buhari’s failures if it were in a normal country.

Ezekwesili disclosed this in a statement via her verified Twitter handle.

She had earlier said the forthcoming presidential election is a battle for the soul of Nigeria, adding that the darkness over the nation is not yet enough for those who love power for the sake of power.

The former minister lamented that some people were defending the government’s failures while ignoring the state of the country and its people.

She wrote, “If we were a normal country, no one would be shameless to defend the ABYSMAL FAILURES of the @NigeriaGov of @NGRPresident @MBuhari. Just look at the state of the country and its people! Yet, some have the mind to run around the internet spewing rubbish. Defenders of Failure.”

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi has vowed to end hunger and poverty in Nigeria if voted into power in the forthcoming presidential election.

Obi called on the people of Ekiti State and Nigerians to vote for him in the February 25, 2023, election.

He spoke during the mega campaign rally of his party held on Thursday at the State pavilion in Ado-Ekiti.

In his words: ”I will end hunger, poverty and provide good jobs for numerous unemployed graduates in Nigeria.

“My administration will move this country from consumption to production and bring the dividends of good governance to their door steps.

“I will not only stop corruption, I will eradicate poverty in every State of the federation because our youths will be properly taken care of and they will no longer be travelling out of the country for greener pastures.

”The good people of Ekiti, please come out and vote for Labour Party in the forthcoming presidential election.”

The Labour Party flagbearer also stated that he and his vice, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed are the most qualified candidates in the presidential race.

Obi further charged youths in the State and the general public to shun vote buying and selling, so they can get the most qualified people into office in the 2023 poll.

“I and Datti are the most qualified, when it comes to education, you cannot compare the education of me and Datti with any other group, this job requires physical and mental energy. I and Datti are obedient to it.

“This year’s election must be based on competence, we want people who are competent, who understand the problem of our country.

“Let nobody tell you it is his turn, it is nobody’s turn, it is the turn of Nigerian youths to take back their country and we must not allow anyone to buy our votes in the coming election,” he said.