2015: APC, PDP Woo Nigerians

Buhari, Jonathan Urge Support  

AHEAD of the forthcoming national election billed for February 14, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, continued nationwide campaign rallies, with the aim of marketing their candidates, as well as securing support of Nigerians. 

    While the PDP and its presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, were in Kaduna, Muhammadu Buhari of the APC was in Ilorin, where he canvassed support for his party.

      In Kaduna, President Goodluck Jonathan told the crowd that the state had received significant support from his administration and they should therefore reciprocate by voting for the PDP during the Presidential election.

       Jonathan described Vice President Namadi Sambo as his “Siamese twin,” saying he had actually come to Kaduna not to campaign, but to actually greet the people who had shown great love and support for the PDP.

     According to Mr. President, the people of Kaduna should vote for him in February 2015 so that he would continue with his agenda of transforming the country. He added that next year, his administration would focus on youth development, a reason former NYSC boss Col. Ahmadu Ali was on his entourage. He insisted that, through their transformational activities, they would work very hard to see that Nigeria catch up with those countries that left us behind.

       In his remarks, Vice President Sambo told the President that Kaduna people were happy and delighted for the good things he had done for the state, while describing the President as a detribalised pseudo, who loved the good people of Northern Nigeria.

    Sambo highlighted some achievements of the PDP -led government in Kaduna and the North in general, which included construction of power plant in Zungeru, constructing the largest power project in Nigeria at Mambila, ensuring the 100 percent completion of the fast rail tract from Kaduna to Abuja and others.

  Also, the Senate President, David Mark, stressed the importance of Kaduna as the political capital of Northern Nigeria, saying Kaduna must make important decisions so that other states in the North would follow.

      Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, said that it would be a dangerous gamble to allow the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to preside over the affairs of Nigeria in the next four years.

    Buhari, who was clad in all white attire with the inscriptions of APC said three burning issues in Nigeria had tarried for long noting that the PDP controlled government appeared not to be having workable solutions to them. He identified the issues as corruption, insecurity and unemployment. 

    While speaking at the Palace of the Emir of Ilorin Alahji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari and at the Metropolitan venue of the rally, said, “it is dangerous to allow these to continue in Nigeria. We urgently need a government that can effectively tackle these. We shall address all these and also the issues of electricity generation and supply. We shall also make available infrastructure in our schools and employ capable teachers as well. This is the best legacy we can bequeath to our children. The APC government will ensure that all these are put in place,” he said.

   Buhari, accompanied by his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the Director General of his campaign organisation Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor of the state of Osun AbdulRauf Aregbesola, Former Governors of Kogi and Osun states, Audu Abubakar and Bisi Akande and others, was received by the Kwara State Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed, his Deputy Peter Kishra, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rasak Atunwa, the former Governor of the state, Bukola Saraki and former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi at Ilorin International Airport at 11:28 am.

    The APC candidate received by tumultuous crowd, urged his supporters not to be carried away by their population, encouraging them instead to come in their large number to vote for him, stand by their vote and ensure that the votes count.

    On his part, Osinbajo said that the destiny of Nigeria was about to change for better, describing those canvassing the postponement of the elections as those opposing the change but with a prayer that God would not allow such people’s wish to succeed.

     Gov. Amaechi, in his address said, the best opportunity for a change of political baton was now, adding, “you are not just here because you like us. You are here because you are hungry and unemployed you therefore need a change to right the wrong. We will recover our stolen money from them when we get there. But you need to vote and enlist among the agents of change.”

   For Gov. Ahmed, “there is a need for a change of power in Nigeria. For almost three and a half years now our people could not say they enjoyed peace and security. But we believe that it can be better under a committed President. People truly want a change. Buhari has done it before and he will do it again.

     “Nigerians should vote for the President who will provide employment for the youth. Besides, no single state can make it under the present Federal structure without the supports of the Federal,” he said.