President just told us why he walked 800m in Daura on Sallah day

President Muhammadu Buhari has spoken on the reason behind his 800-meter walk in his hometown, Daura, Katsina state on Sallah day.

President Buhari had embarked on an unusual walk from the Kofar Arewa Eid Prayer ground on Tuesday, August 20, 2018.

As chants of "Sai Baba" filled the air, Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, announced that the walk has given Buhari a clean bill of health ahead of the 2019 election.

Shehu's comments was greeted by mixed reactions and a show of fitness routines by most presidential aspirants.

But at a meeting with representatives of the five local governments in Daura Emirate, Buhari explained that the walk was not about proving his fitness level or scoring cheap political capital.

“This is my constituency, the people came out in their large numbers to see me and the car in which I was being driven had tinted windows," Buhari said, in a statement signed by Shehu.

"They were not seeing me so I came down so they could see me. I didn’t need to convince anyone about my health and the decision to contest for a second term- a decision that I made public in April this year,’’ he declared.

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The President noted that he has directed the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Bank of Nigeria to review the processes on the issuance of loans to small-holder farmers.

"We want to make it easier for them to assess the loans, particularly the underprivileged people in the society. It has become necessary for the government to do this because banks will insist on collaterals which majority of farmers do not have.

"For our agriculture policy to succeed, we must be able to reach small farm holders with loans without collaterals. Collaterals are always a problem with smallholder farmers,’’ he said.

The President used the opportunity with his kingsmen to highlight the achievements of his administration on local rice production which had "led to the reduction of imports by over 90 percent."

He expressed delight that young people are returning to the farms and reaffirmed the Federal government’s commitment to implement policies to promote agriculture.

Speaking on behalf of the civil society groups in Daura Emirate, the spokesman of the group, Yusuf Bello Maiadua, applauded the President on his numerous achievements.

"You have made us proud, the economy is back on the path of growth and you have laid a solid foundation for the development of the country,” Buhari said.

Maiadua who hinted the President of plans by the Daura Emirate to organise a massive rally for his 2019 campaign, as soon as the ban on political campaign is lifted.