By Terhemba Daka (Abuja) and Emmanuel Samaila (Yola)
President Muhammadu Buhari has begged Nigerians to vote the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for continuity of his administration’s work.
The President, who was addressing a scanty gathering of APC supporters, yesterday, in Yola, Adamawa State, said Nigerians would not regret voting his party again.
Ribadu Square, venue of the rally, was almost empty, even as supporters found it difficult entering the centre due to heavy security.
Buhari said his visit to Yola, home of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was to show his support for the political ambitions of Bola Tinubu and Sen. Aishatu Binani.
According to him, the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu, will be fair to all Nigerians in discharging his constitutional duties, and Binani will change the narrative in the state as the first elected female governor in the country.
He called on voters to shun sentiments and make history by electing the first female governor in the country in Binani, saying her track record of dedication to duty and service would improve welfare of citizens.
Binani, he added, had consistently worked for the welfare of the state and its indigenes over the years, and entrusting her with the Office of the Governor would further reposition the state for greatness.
His words: “Let me remind you of the good fortune awaiting your state in 2023 after returning the APC to power at the federal level and electing the party’s candidate as your next governor.
“You have been given the opportunity to set a record in the history of Nigeria and its politics by electing the first ever female chief executive of a state. You cannot afford to let such a significant opportunity slip through your fingers.”
Except Virginia Etiaba, who stood in as Acting Governor of Anambra State during Peter Obi’s travails between November 2, 2006 and February 9, 2007, no woman has ever tasted a governorship seat in Nigeria.
In his speech, Tinubu, appealed to the electorate to vote for his team, promising to improve the security and unity of Nigeria and its citizens.
He maintained that his government would provide job opportunities for unemployed youths and address challenges facing the educational and petroleum sectors in a short period, if elected.
On her part, Binani appealed to Nuhu Ribadu and others, who contested the APC primaries with her, to support her in the interest of the party and the state.
National Chairman of APC, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, and Director General of Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, called on the electorate to choose APC candidates across board for the development of the country.
LENDING his voice to Buhari’s call for election of the first female governor in the country, Tinubu asserted that the President has laid solid foundation for the country’s development.
“She is brilliant and results-oriented. She will perform better for the state,” the former Lagos governor said at the Yola rally.
The APC candidate also thanked the President for attending the rally, saying he was deeply moved and honoured by his (Buhari) presence.
“That you are here and that you have been gracious enough to be our campaign chairman shows your dedication and loyalty as a party member. More importantly, your presence underscores your commitment to progressive, democratic good governance and your belief that our party represents the best hope to lead the nation to the peace, prosperity and development it deserves,” he added.
Reiterating his agenda for the North East, from where he picked his running mate (Kashim Shettima) and Adamawa, Tinubu said he envisioned a North East that is safe and flourishing.
Source: The Guardian