President Muhammadu Buhari says he accepts all the criticism thrown at his administration in good stead because it’s part of leadership.

Speaking on the occasion that marks his final outing as president on the Eid-el-Fitr day before handing over, Buhari said Nigerians should forgive him in any way he has hurt them, saying “all those that I have hurt, I ask that they pardon me”.

“God gave me an incredible opportunity to serve the country. We are all humans, if I have hurt some people along the line of my service to the country, I ask that they pardon me,” Buhari said.

“I think it is a good coincidence for me to say goodbye to you, and thank you for tolerating me for almost eight years.”

Buhari said the flaunting of ethnic and religious cards in elections was “rubbish” noting that the presiding justices at the supreme court that squashed his cases were Muslims, from the north, Zaria in Kaduna state, Niger, and Jigawa.

“I dared the politicians and ended up at the supreme court three times. They laughed at me, and I responded, ‘God dey’. God sent technology to my rescue, with permanent voter’s cards (PVC). The fraudulent people became unemployed,” he said.

On security, the president said there have been improvements, adding that “insecurity in FCT has been marginalised”.

“It is good to reflect on what used to happen here, in FCT, especially on security. Security is not only about the North East, but it also spread to the FCT and all over the country,” he said.

“Those who wanted to make our lives uncomfortable reached the FCT, and they have been marginalised.”