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Tag: BUHARI

  • ‘Buhari not after Nigeria’s money’

    The Director General of Ibrahim Gaidam Campaign Organization, Alhaji Yakubu Sidi Karasuwa, has said the desire of the All Progressive Congress presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to rule Nigeria is not to enrich himself.

    Karasuwa, who is the APC candidate for Nguru/Machina/Yusufari/Karasuwa Federal Constituency, said there is no retired General in the Nigerian Army that is living a low profile life like the former head of state.

    “When you look around and see the low profile life that Gen. Buhari maintains, none of his contemporaries in the army is living that kind of life. Don’t forget, this man was a head of state of this country under a military regime with all the opportunities to loot the treasury but he never did.

    “In my concerned opinion, Gen. Buhari is out for a rescue mission for this country. His determination to rule this country is to correct all the wrongs that have engulf our country and not any petty reason of making money out of position of the President,” Karasuwa said.

    He added that the desperate measures being devised by the Peoples Democratic Party to shift the elections will be vehemently resisted by Nigerians and the international community.

    “The desperation of the PDP led government of President Goodluck Jonathan is a further demonstration of the huge failure of his government. I am surprised that an incumbent government is more jittery of an opposition party,” Karasuwa explained.

     

  • Buhari begins town hall meetings

    Buhari begins town hall meetings

    … To shun presidential debates

    The Presidential Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said Monday that its presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, will not take part in any presidential debates, hut would rather embark on a town hall meetings across the country.

    In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the organization said that Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo will interact with Nigerians during the town hall meetings and explain directly to citizens the policy thrust of their envisaged administration and how the set objectives will be achieved.

    Shehu said that the town hall meetings will kick off in Lagos on Monday with a robust interaction between Buhari/Osibanjo and the Organised Private Sector.

    The statement said the party was compelled to chart this course because of the compelling need to have a person-to-person interactive sessions during which pertinent questions will be posed to the candidates and responses provided.

    He said: “Our campaign decided to chart this path because we cannot afford to shy away from the more pressing urgency to have one-on-one interactions with Nigerians through town hall meetings.

    “The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation wishes to announce the commencement of town hall meetings ahead of the February 14 presidential election. Due to the more pressing urgency to have an open interaction with Nigerians, the campaign will be organising town hall meetings in different parts of the country.

    “The town hall meetings kicked off today (Monday) in Lagos with a public interaction between the presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, his running mate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and representatives of Organised Private Sector.

    “On Tuesday, the town hall meeting will hold in Kano with traders and market associations. Thereafter, the meeting will hold in Benin with labour and civil society leaders.

    “The focus of the town hall meeting will then shift to Ibadan where students and youth groups will be engaging Gen. Buhari and Prof. Osinbajo, while Enugu and Port Harcourt will follow suit.

    “The direction the that the campaign will be moving in the countdown to the election day is to have as many as possible person-to-person interactive sessions for Nigerians to hear directly from the presidential candidate and his running mate.”

    The APCPCO, however, asked President Goodluck Jonathan to explain to Nigerians what led to the stampede at the Nigeria Immigration Service job recruitment exercise where several Nigerians lost their lives.

     

  • Disqualification: Court orders service of documents on Buhari, INEC

    Disqualification: Court orders service of documents on Buhari, INEC

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the service of court documents on the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, in relation to a suit seeking to among others, restrain him from participating in the February 14 election.

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola ordered a substituted service of the court documents on Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission after hearing the plaintiff’s application to that effect.

    In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/14/2015, filed by Max Ozoaka, the plaintiff raised eight questions for the court’s determination and prayed for among others, an order disqualifying Buhari from contesting or participating in the election.

    The suit has Buhari and the INEC as defendants.

    It is the plaintiff’s contention that INEC FORM CF 001 which the APC candidate submitted to the electoral body was incomplete because he allegedly failed to accompany the form with all relevant academic credentials.

    He also faulted some information contained in other documents he possessed including Buhari’s voter’s card.

    The plaintiff wants the court to restrain INEC from permitting Buhari to participate in the presidential election on February 14 or any other date the 2nd defendant (INEC) may fix.”

  • Group to Jonathan: You’re incompetent to rule Nigeria

    President Goodluck Jonathan came under heavy knocks on Monday when a group known as Anambra group for Buhari (AIG 4 Buhari) labelled him as incompetent to rule Nigeria.

    Also, the group described former leader of Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Chief Government Ekpenupolo (aka-Tompolo) and Asari Dokubo as insensitive and irresponsible for threatening war if Jonathan fails in this month’s elections.

    Speaking with reporters in Awka, the leader of the group, Nicholas Emeka Asuzu and the Deputy Chairman, Jude Afunaya, alleged that the raging Boko-Haram menace in the country was being sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party –led government.

    The group’s helmsmen, all lawyers, declared that Nigerians should not allow themselves to be fooled by Jonathan’s claims of being part of Ndigbo by mere adding Igbo names to his belt.

    The group said Ndigbo should stop whipping up sentiment and vote the right candidate in the elections.

    “Calling Gen. Mohammadu Buhari a Boko-Haram person by some selfish persons is giving a dog a bad name to hang it, the real Boko-haram people are Jonathan and his PDP members.

    “Our objective is to make the voices of the Anambra people count in the next political dispensation. We want Anambra people not to be misled by sentiments and selfish political actors in making their choice between the two major gladiators in the forthcoming election, President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP and Gen. Mohammadu buhari of the APC,” the group stated.

  • Panic in PDP as Amaechi woos Lamido for Buhari

    Panic in PDP as Amaechi woos Lamido for Buhari

    Rivers, Jigawa governors hold talks in Dutse

    There was panic yesterday in the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a secret meeting between Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council Director-General Rotimi Amaechi.

    The meeting was held in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital,  between Saturday night and yesterday.

    Lamido, who is PDP candidate President Goodluck Jonathan’s Northwest campaign coordinator, and the Rivers State governor were on the same side during the disputed Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) election.

    It was learnt that Amaechi was in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, on the invitation of his colleague. He arrived at the Jigawa Government House at about 9pm on Saturday.

    A source said the two governors held talks late into the night at the Presidential Lodge in the Government House, where Ameachi passed the night. They met again at about 10:05am yesterday for more talks, which ended at about 11:30am.

    After the meeting, Lamido, who wore a blue dress and a blue cap to match, drove himself in a Peugeot 206 car. He declined reporters’ question as he returned to his official residence.

    Ameachi, who drove himself in a black Toyota Landcruiser with few escorts to the Government House, also declined comment on his mission.

    When reporters approached him for his comments, he said: “You can see me driving. I’m busy, I can’t talk now. Good bye.”

    Lamido is believed to be lukewarm towards the PDP presidential campaign.

    He even gave conditions to join the team, saying the President must rein in the ex-militants and Chief Edwin Clark who have been beating drums of war in the name of support for Dr. Jonathan.

    The ex-militants remain unrepentant, vowing to go to war should the President lose the February 14 poll.

    The fears of the Presidency and PDP border on likely protest votes in Jigawa State against Dr. Jonathan.

    But the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief  Olisa Metuh, said the party had a feeling that Amaechi went to Dutse as part of consultations to return to the party.

    He said all the governors and others who defected from PDP to APC were not feeling at home in the opposition party.

    The Presidency and the PDP were “caught unawares” by Amaechi’s visit to Dutse.

    It was learnt that the shock was more profound because Lamido did not hint Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo about what a Presidency source described as a “nocturnal visit” – about 12 days to the election.

    A highly-placed source said: “ The Presidency and the PDP were jolted because the meeting between Lamido and Amaechi came barely few hours after the flawed rally in Kaduna State.

    “In fact, at the Kaduna rally, Lamido, who is the zonal coordinator of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, was unusually silent and moody. We were all curious but we attributed his mood to campaign fatigue.

    “Everyone is running helter-skelter to get in touch with Lamido on what actually transpired between him and Amaechi.

    “But going by the fact that the nation is in election mood, we are suspecting that it might be about the presidential poll.”

    A source in the party said: “We are suspecting that this are last-minute wooing of Lamido by the APC is for swinging of votes for the opposition during the presidential poll.

    “Some of our leaders, who met on the issue, ruled out Lamido joining APC. But there can be protest votes in the state against the President on February 14.

    “You know Lamido is an ardent loyalist of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and you know the apparent disposition of the former President to Jonathan. Some are suspecting that Obasanjo might have a hand in the meeting.”

    Vice President Namadi Sambo was last night said to be looking into the “circumstances behind the meeting.”

    Attempts to get the reaction of Sambo’s camp were unsuccessful last night. One of his trusted aides sent a text message: “Sorry, I cannot talk right now”.

    Metuh underplayed the meeting, saying: “It is possible Amaechi went to discuss with Lamido on how to return to PDP.

    “We have feedback that all our governors and members who defected to APC are uncomfortable in the opposition party. They want to come back to PDP. So, the meeting might be one of such moves. Maybe Amaechi wants to come back to PDP.”

  • Buhari: we’ll deliver 20,000mw in four years

    Buhari: we’ll deliver 20,000mw in four years

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday unfolded its power agenda should it presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, be elected.

    The party plans to generate at least 20,000 megawatts (mw) of electricity in four years to surpass Nigeria’s consumption level of around 15, 000mw.

    In a statement, the party’s Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) expressed dismay that the Federal Government under President Goodluck Jonathan had only added 1.400mw to the national grid in four years.

    The statement by Mallam Garba Shehu, the spokesman of the campaign, quoted Gen. Buhari as saying that while he will not run a witch hunt government, he will not hesitate to deal decisively with cases of impunity and corruption.  No probe of any government official, he added.

    The statement also quoted Gen. Buhari as saying he is passionately concerned about the sorry conditions of our armed forces today who, despite huge budgetary allocations, have failed to effectively deal with manifest security threats, including the Boko Haram terrorism.

    “What he said at every given opportunity is that he is keenly interested in knowing what has gone wrong, if any, with the army that he knew. When he has access to them as Commander-in-Chief, he will like to hear from his commanders what problems they are dealing with so that they can be solved,” Shehu said.

    “In a democracy such as ours, all institutions of government, including the armed forces, are accountable. No country can achieve results in its counter-terrorism efforts when there is no transparency in the management of huge resources for the purpose. He (Gen. Buhari) will reinvigorate the armed forces and restore their rapidly evaporating morale,” he said.

    The APC Campaign Organisation accused the PDP of wasting billions of naira on non existent power, managing to add a yearly average of 87 megawatts of electricity, showing a massive failure to substantially raise generation and distribution of electric power despite promises and cash infusion of between $16 billion and $20 billion.

    Shehu said “nearly 16 years of PDP administration gave this country a miserly addition of 1,400 Mega Watts against the expenditure of more than $16 billion. That translates to 18.5 MW per annum”.

    He noted that “this abysmal power production and distribution, with its attendant socio-economic implications, is the most irresponsible thing a government can do to its people.

    It explained that the PDP has shown an “appalling lack of capacity to deal with just any problem confronting this country and the lack of vision and commitment to dealing with electricity supply was just one of the myriads of the others begging for attention.”

    “The only conclusion to draw from this is that the PDP is more interested in feathering the nest of importers of generators than in the wellbeing of Nigerian citizens and their businesses.”

    The organisation accused President Jonathan of massive corruption in the country’s agricultural sector, saying “President Jonathan has failed woefully in the agricultural sector, and all the self-praise of the administration on agriculture is simply a ruse”.

    It maintained that whereas President Jonathan had promised in 2010 to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice and wheat production by 2015, “the grim reality on the ground today is that Nigeria emerged as the world’s highest importer of rice in 2015, and a whopping $11 billion is spent annually by Nigeria to import rice, wheat, sugar and fish.”

    The statement added that according to the former Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Sarah Alade, Nigeria as at 2014 spends $4 billion on rice importation – that is about N600 billion annually on the importation of 2.1 million metric tonnes of milled rice.

    “This is after the Federal Government had approached the China Exim Bank for a loan of $1.2 billion for the financing of 100 large-scale rice processing plants with a total capacity of 2.1 million metric tonnes.

    “The troubling truth today is that Nigeria is nothing close to self-sufficiency in rice production and what we have at hand is a close web of corruption where government cronies stumble over each other to get import licences for rice.”

    “According to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, Nigeria’s wheat consumption as at year 2000 was about two million metric tonnes. But, by 2010, wheat importation to the country had risen to four million metric tonnes and Nigeria spends N635 billion annually on wheat importation.

    “Five years into the Jonathan administration, Nigeria spends even more than we did in 2010 to import wheat; yet the government continues to brandish false achievements in the agricultural sector – a situation that is completely at variance with what President Jonathan promised Nigerians in 2010, saying that his government would make Nigeria save N635 billion annually on rice and wheat importation.”

    The statement also faulted the government’s claim that local farmers now have unhindered access to fertiliser through the Growth Enhancement Scheme and described as “excessively labourious and technically difficult for the farmers to work through” are two bags of fertilizer throughout the entire farming season, “and government has not come out in one instance to tell Nigerians how much it receives as grants on fertiliser distribution to farmers from donor agencies.

    “The government will want to give us the impression that fertiliser is being given to farmers free of charge. But we know that what subsists is a 50 per cent subsidy per bag of fertiliser. Our farmers are being shortchanged under this so-called e-wallet arrangement because of lack of transparency.

    “We may be looking at another subsidy scam over fertilizer unless the Jonathan administration comes out clean to tell us how much it has received as grants over fertiliser and how it comes about the 50 per cent subsidy per bag of fertilizer.”

    While dismissing President Jonathan’s claims of achievement in the agricultural sector, the organisation said that “throughout the periods preceding the Jonathan’s administration, the contribution of agriculture to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was at 7 per cent, while under the so-called transformation agenda of President Jonathan, agriculture’s contribution to the GDP has been consistent at 5 per cent – an all time low.

    “In any case, food commodities are items Nigerians buy on a daily basis. If the Jonathan administration was sincere with the statistics it reels out on agriculture, why would the government buy pages of newspaper advertorials and TV commercials to force bitter falsehood of its achievements down the throats of Nigerians? The Jonathan administration has failed woefully in its agricultural policies and the facts are self-evident out there at those food stalls in our markets.

    “In 2015, Nigerians know they spend far more to buy food than they did in 2010. That reality, in itself, is President Jonathan’s scorecard in agriculture.”

  • Fayemi didn’t donate money to Buhari’s campaign, says APC

    Fayemi didn’t donate money to Buhari’s campaign, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government for using the media to blackmail former Governor Kayode Fayemi by alleging that he (Fayemi) donated N1.5billion to the Buhari Campaign Organisation.

    It said in a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, that the allegation, which was also circulated through text messages and the Internet, was “spurious, malicious and obnoxious.”

    The story, which was broadcast by a Yoruba newspaper review programme on Ekiti 91.5 FM, Lati Inu Aka, alleged that Fayemi made the donation through a Barclay’s Bank, Accra, cheque.

    The party spokesman said Fayemi did not operate any account with any branch of Barclay’s Bank around the world, hence the issue of donation did not arise.

    He said the ex-governor never donated any fund to the Buhari Campaign Organisation, adding that the latest attempt to tarnish his image would fail, just as other plots hatched by the PDP-led Federal Government in the build-up to the elections.

    According to him, the allegation, which started as a syndicated SMS by PDP officials, was later broadcast on the state radio and television under the supervision of state officials.

    Olatunbosun added that the allegation was a panicky response by the PDP administration to Buhari’s growing popularity across the nation and the imminent change through the February 14 poll.

    He said: “This latest attempt to tarnish the image of Dr. Fayemi through this wicked and senseless allegation has failed just as being hatched by the PDP in the build-up to the elections.

    “Dr. Fayemi stands out around the world as impeccable in his dealings. He never donated any money to the campaign, neither did he lobby before he was appointed to organise APC convention.

    “He has never been associated with fraud. Fayemi is not integrity-challenged like Fayose, whose entire being is denominated in naira and kobo.

    “He is in court over alleged N1.3billion poultry project fraud. He can’t explain the whereabouts of the N22billion refund and N2billion the Federal Government paid into the coffers of Ekiti State government.

    “Now he is playing N1.5 billion donation card to divert people’s attention from this wicked, fraudulent behaviour against Ekiti people.

  • Bamidele’s group campaigns for Buhari

    The Ekiti Bibire Coalition, a political platform of a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, has begun a house-to-house campaign in support of the presidential ambition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

    The campaign, which is to take the group to the 132 communities, is aimed at building a grassroots support base for Gen. Buhari ahead of the February 14 presidential poll.

  • ‘Lagos ‘ll give 85 per cent of votes to Buhari’

    ‘Lagos ‘ll give 85 per cent of votes to Buhari’

    All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has promised to fight the infrastructure battle in Lagos, if elected as the president. Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Otunba Oladele Ajomale said at the mega rally in Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, that the state will give Buhari 85 per cent of the votes. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU revisits the carnival-like rally.

    Lagos, the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is perceived as the stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The state lived to expectation at the weekend when the campaign train of its presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, rolled into the Centre of Excellence.

    The crowd was huge. But, the crowd outside the Teslim Balogun Stadium, the venue of the rally, was more than the crowd inside the main bowl. It was not a rented crowd. The army of supporters were not wooed with foods and drinks. But, they came from the 20 Local Government Areas and the 37 Local Council Development Councils (LCDAs), waving their brooms, singing and dancing. They defiled the early morning downpour as they waited patiently for the man they perceived as the symbol of change, Gen. Buhari. Even, those who left the stadium for the Friday Jumat service, returned to capture a glimpse of the General, who had served as the military Head of State 30 years ago.

    Gen. Buhari walked freely among the people, who are eager to vote for him on February 14. He was the tallest in the crowd. When he waved the broom, the symbol of the party, the crowd went into an ecstasy. The master of ceremony, Mrs. Abike Dabiri, aroused the crowd when she said: “Baba, oyoyo.” The people chorused the slogan. Then, the ace musician, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde, sung the familiar tune: Sai Baba, Sai Buhari. Brooms filled the air as youths decked in customised t-shirts with fez caps to match, were locked in celebrations.

    The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who was impressed by the turn-out, challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to a duel. Basking in the euphoria of an imminent victory for the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket, he said: “I have seen people sweat for change. The youths want change. My prayer is that nobody should be foolish enough to ignore this momentum for change.”

    The Chairman of the APC in Lagos State, Otunba Dele Ajomale, and the governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, promised to deliver 85 per cent of the votes to Gen. Buhari. Assuring that the progressive beat will continue in Lagos, Ajomale said: “Lagos will deliver 85 percent of the votes to you (Buhari). Jonathan will not get 25 per cent of the votes.” Also, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), led by Alhaji Agbede, and National Road Transport Employment Association, led by Ahmed Musa, endorsed the flag bearer.

    Smiles lit up the face of Buhari, who was accompanied by his wife, Hajia Aishat, and running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and wife, Dolapo. But, other matters also agitated him as he saw the sea of heads, including the jobless youths and artisans, who needed regular power supply for uninterrupted economic life. Owing to lack of electricity, the organisers had arranged for an alternative source of power. He took cognizance of the stand-by generator emitting fume, a sign of power outage and failure of infrastructure battle by the inept Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government. As he listened to other leaders as they addressed the rally, he was in a sober reflection.

    Not given to frivolities, he addressed the crowd as a father and leader that he is. The people also nodded affirmatively to a leader that has been tested and can be trusted. Buhari promised a new lease of life, promising to resolve pressing national challenges, including corruption, insecurity and unemployment, if elected as the President.

    Between 1976 and 1979, the APC flag bearer was the Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Between January 1984 and August 1985, he was also living in Lagos as the Commander-In-Chief. Thus, he is conversant with the problems affecting the metropolis. Thus, Buhari promised to fight the infrastructure battle in Lagos State, as part of moves to restore the glory of the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The former military leader said the state will be given a special attention as the economic hub and commercial nerve centre. “For Lagos, in particular, they have allowed infrastructure decay to become the lots of Lagos. Infrastructure maintenance ought to be the responsibilities of the government being a former federal capital. I assure you APC will do that, he said.“

    In his view, the PDP-led Federal Government has failed the test of leadership. The proofs, he said, are  insecurity, economic depression, bribery and corruption and unemployment. He said: “Whatever we are going to do will help restore Nigeria back.”

    Buhari offered hope to the jubilating crowd. He said: “ After all what we have gone through in the past 15 years of the PDP, the APC has identified three fundamental programmes that have to be taken immediately. One of them is to tackle insecurity. Two, returning back the economy on track, and tackling bribery and corruption. But, whatever we are going to do, we must secure Nigeria first. Most importantly, is the Northeast where hundreds of school children are still missing. We are confident that our military can perform, but what they need now is leadership.”

    The former Head of State also promised to tackle corruption, which he identified as an obstacle. He said, if bribery and corruption, gave way, all will be well with Nigeria. “We have more than 60 percent of youths in this country, whether they went to school or not, it is the responsibility of government to provide jobs. Whichever way we look at it, corruption still remains the bane of the country.”

    Buhari urged Nigerians to “vote out the PDP from the top to the bottom,” adding that it is in the national interest. “Where is the Nigerian Airways? Where is the Nigerian National Shipping Line? Where are they now? Go and find out how much money they had made from 1999 till now. And where is NEPA? he queried.

    The APC flag bearer added: “”After spending about $20 billion on power, what we are getting is still very insignificant. This is because of the incompetence of the PDP from top to bottom. Nigerians have suffered enough and must ensure that PDP is voted out.”

    It was a special home-coming for Osinbajo, who had served the state as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. He urged Lagosians to vote for change, adding: “It is time for God to rescue Nigeria from corruption, poverty, joblessness and insecurity. Our time of deliverance has come. The train of freedom has arrived. On February 14, with your PVC, you will cause a change, a fundamental change in this country. That change is what we have been waiting for since 1960. It shall arrive February 14 when you vote General Muhammadu Buhari as the President of Nigeria.”

    The legal scholar acknowledged that some people are afraid of Buhari, adding that these people are fueling the rumour that he will “islamise” Nigeria. The former university don said it is because they fear that  Buhari will end. Osinbajo added: “If corruption does not end, poverty cannot end. If corruption does not end, job cannot appear from anywhere. If corruption does not end, education cannot survive. With corruption, you cannot build hospitals when some people are keeping all the money in their pockets. Don’t let them deceive you. Some people are saying there is an Islamization agenda. Tell them it is not true. General Buhari is an honest man, he is a straight forward man. He will fight corruption. He wants this country to be better and, by the grace of the Almighty God, on May 29, he will be the President of Nigeria.”

    The APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, described Buhari as the best candidate to salvage the country during the crisis period, noting that when developed countries were in similar situation, they beckoned on their retired Generals for good governance. He said: “In the last 70 years of nationhood, you have seen series of political crises. But, one man has been very consistent, steadfast, brilliant, courageous, resolute, and an advocate of the poor. That is Buhari.”

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and his Lagos, Osun, Edo and Imo state counterparts; Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Chief Rauf Aregbesola, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and Owelle Rochas Okorocha; and the National Deputy Chairman, Mr. Segun Oni, told the crowd that Buhari is the answer. Other APC chieftains, including the National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Chief Pius Akinyelure, former Ekiti State Governors Niyi Adebayo and Kayode Fayemi, Senator Bukola Saraki,  former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, were in the same frame of mind.

    Fashola, the host governor, urged Lagosians to collect their voter’s cards, ahead of the poll, stressing that they can only change the government by voting wisely.

    Amaechi observed that the PDP is jittery because change is imminent. He warned against rigging, saying that Nigerians will resist fraud.

    Oshiomhole said: “The challenge for Nigeria today is about creating jobs. They will not be created through token policies. It is time to bring a trusted and trusted leader. Gen. Buhari has no money, yet, he was governor, minister of petroleum and Head of State. You need a man who will not steal to curb corruption.”

    Aregbesola said: “The issue involved in this election is the sustenance of poverty and abolition of poverty. If you are interested in poverty, misery and hardship, vote for the PDP. If you believe there must be an end to poverty, misery and hardship, vote for the APC.”

    Senator Oluremi Tinubu said: “Today, we are witnessing the beginning of the restoration of Nigeria.”

  • Group pledges support for Buhari

    Group pledges support for Buhari

    A group, the Voters Initiative Network, has thrown its weight behind Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and Professor Yemi Osinbajo’s presidential ticket.

    Justifying the need to support their candidacy, the group said, the two men will promite the interest of Nigerians.

    The convener, David Henry, said the group’s mission is to assist the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates. “We will embark on door to door campaign for these preferred candidates – Buhari/Oshinbajo, distribute fliers and sensitise people why there must be change in Nigeria.”

    The group also hinted of plans to organise a five million youth match to bolster its campaign-drive initiative. “Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources, and youths have been neglected over the years in every facet of governance and support. We need change.”