The Presidency on Wednesday said President Muhammadu Buhari was not power drunk and had no intention of clinging onto power against the wishes of millions of Nigerians. He however vowed not to change his uncompromising disposition towards fighting corruption.

These remarks came on the heels of comments credited to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, where he accused  Buhari of being an uncompromising and power drunk leader who would not be ready to relinquish power without a fight.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the Presidency said  Atiku needed to know that Buhari, though a retired military general, had demonstrated in many ways that he is also a committed democrat.

“President Buhari is uncompromising in the quest to restore probity and accountability to public office. He is uncompromising in cleaning the rot that Nigeria was consigned into pre-2015, thus the war against corruption is being fought without fear or favour.

“President Buhari is single-minded in effecting change in every area of Nigerian life. So, Alhaji Abubakar is right, if that was what he meant by the President being ‘uncompromising’.

“But power drunk? No! And being a man who will not be ready to leave power without a fight? Never! Not President Buhari, who has demonstrated in many ways that he is a committed democrat, though also a retired military general.

“He has no apologies about that. Through a sterling military career, he served Nigeria with his heart and might, before venturing into partisan politics.

“In many ways, President Buhari has wielded power with decency and as a means of serving the people rather than for personal ends. If there’s one person not intoxicated by power, it is President Buhari,” the statement said.

Adesina accused Atiku of stirring up controversies around the name of President Buhari in a bid to boost his chances of getting the presidential ticket of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Rather than use the name of President Buhari to buoy his bid to get the presidential ticket of a party, whose flag has been flying at half-mast since it got roundly trounced at the polls in 2015, the former Vice President needs be told that the President is truly uncompromising, but only when it comes to looting the common patrimony of Nigerians, and squandering their riches.

“Former VP Abubakar may want to borrow a leaf from the decorous language employed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in answering his recent press statement on the restructuring debate.

“That is the hallmark of statesmen and not crying wolf where none exists, which is what the allegation of being uncompromising and power drunk truly is. President Buhari is actuated by service to country, and nothing else.

“So, there couldn’t be anything like ‘not ready to leave power without a fight’. Indeed, the insinuation of a fight is the mindset of a man who is either undemocratic, or has seen defeat staring him and his party in the face.

“Let the former Vice President rest assured that there will be no ‘fight’ over power in Nigeria. Not under President Buhari’s watch. The people don’t want a fight. It is some political leaders we must beseech to eschew pugnacity, and mind their language,” the statement added.