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1985 Coup: I spent 40 months in Benin prison – Buhari tells Oshiomhole

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8 years ago

November 8, 2016

Olu Emmanuel

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Commends Edo Gov on performance

By OSEMWENGIE BEN OGBEMUDIA, Benin City

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday told Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Governor-elect, Godwin Obaseki, and others delegates in Benin City that he spent 40 months in detention in the state during the 1985 coup that overthrew his government.

Buhari, who was on two days working visit to Edo State, will use the opportunity to launch projects completed by the Adams Oshiomhole administration.

“I’m glad to be visiting Edo State to commission Infrastructural projects completed by the administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. Not many people may remember: I spent most of the 40 months of my detention, following the 1985 coup, in a small bungalow here in Benin City,” the president said.

At the commissioning sites of the projects, President Buhari praised the quality of the projects done by Governor Oshiomhole in Edo State, saying the Edo Governor has engraved his name in gold.

Speaking at the commissioning of Edo University, Iyamho, on Tuesday, the President said Nigeria’s economy is low at the moment because of the country’s mono-economy status.

“For us to get out of the mess, we just have to diversify to agriculture and solid minerals,” he said.

Buhari maintained: “the quality of projects I was made to commission are very, very solid; whether roads, educational institutions or hospitals. Certainly, Governor Oshiomhole is lucky to last his two terms and to engrave his name in a golden historical plate.”

“I believe the roads and the bridges will bring more people to live more comfortably and securely. He has done for well for the people. He built a good hospital, again he served the people. I congratulate the incoming Governor, I thank him for his stamina going through the primaries and going through the elections and importantly, winning it,” he added.

“We believe this system, the multi-party democracy system is the best for us. We are doing best because we found ourselves as part of this great country called Nigeria. We are blessed with human and material resources. We made a terrible mistake in allowing ourselves to be cornered into a mono-economy and we are now paying dearly for our mistake,” Buhari remarked.

“Now, we have to go back to the land, solid minerals and do a lot of savings so that we can leave a lot of savings for our children and grandchildren,” he added.

At the commissioning of the Ugbegun-Ujiogba-Ebudin-Igueben-Ewohinmi-Ohordua-Emu road which cuts across five local governments in Edo Central, the President said “May God in his infinite mercy continue to make these roads secured and economically viable for the people of these local governments”.