They can say whatever they like - Buhari replies Fayose

President Muhammadu Buhari has responded to those criticising his incessant trips abroad, saying there was always political and economic justifications for them, The Punch reports.

Fielding questions from some Nigerian journalists on Friday shortly before he commenced a six-day vacation, Buhari said: “Every one of my trips can be politically or economically assessed. I recall that the first trip I had was to go to Chad and Niger. The trip was mainly because of Nigeria’s security.

“We campaigned based on three issues -security, economy (employment) and corruption. And then the G-7 invited me to Germany. After that, I went to Cameroon. I then went to the United Nations General Assembly.”

Last week, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state had said the President’s incessant foreign trips were unnecessary and already bleeding the economy with about $1m being spent per trip.

Buhari said none of his trips so far has been frivolous, wondering how Fayose arrived at the figure he gave.

He said: “I have not seen any frivolous journey that I undertook. I understand that the governor of Ekiti state said that every trip I make costs Nigeria at least $1m. I do not know how he worked that out but every trip that I have made, there must be economic and political reasons that justified them.

“Those who do not see it the way the government sees it have the right not to agree and say whatever they like. But we will try and give them the appropriate reply.”

Speaking on the ongoing war against corruption, Buhari said his administration was going to see it through, denying allegations that it was selective.

He noted that the need for firm evidences against corrupt persons was one of the main challenges facing the war.

The president insisted that his government is winning the war against terrorism despite the killings being witnessed in public places.

On the missing Chibok girls, he said: “We are looking for reliable information on the girls’ whereabouts. Who is in charge of them? Unless we get convincing and credible intelligence about them, we cannot negotiate with anybody.

“We will negotiate if the leadership of Boko Haram is credible, bonafide and established. Government is willing to discuss with them to arrive at an agreement on how to recover the girls.”

President Buhari added that he would rather have people respect him than fear him.

President Buhari has travelled to over 20 countries since he took over power on May 29, 2015. He is presently out of the country on one week vacation. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will perform the functions of the president while he is away.

Many have criticised him for spending majority of his time outside the country but the presidency has said the foreign trips were necessitated by the president’s desire to block and recover funds looted out of Nigeria.