.
By Nasir Kura
President Muhamamdu Buhari was on Thursday endorsed for a second term by 12 political parties and their presidential candidates 48 hours before commencement of elections.
Speaking at an audience with the president at the Stat House in Abuja, chairman of the the Forum of Presidential Candidates and Political Parties for Good Governance, Shitu Mohammed Kabir of Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), said they decided to throw in their lots with the president because of advances made in security, economy, fighting corruption, infrastructure development, agricultural revolution, among others.
“Nigerian political landscape is taking a new dimension…As a group of political parties committed to the realisation of a new Nigeria, we identify with these laudable feats of the President, which are in proximity with ours, as exemplified in our manifestoes.
“We, therefore, wish to support President Buhari’s candidacy in the coming election, and direct all our teeming members across the length and breadth of Nigeria to go out in their numbers, to vote for APC candidates, Muhammadu Buhari/Yemi Osinbajo, in the coming election,” he said.
Others that endorsed the president are Mr Edozie Madu, Independent Democrats; Danjuma Mohammed, Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy; Yusuf Nadabo Dantalle, Allied Peoples Movement; Ahmed Buhari, Save Nigeria Party; and Alhaji Isah B. Dansarki, Mass Movement of Nigeria.
Others include Mr Ikechukwu Nwaokafor, Advance Congress of Democrats; Alista Soyode, Yes Party; Barrister Charles Ogbali, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party; Kenneth Ibe Kalu, United Peoples Congress; Comrade Isiyaka Paul Femili, Nigeria Element Progressive Party; and Robinson Akpu, National Democratic Liberty Party.
Responding, the president said there is a compelling need for historians and economists to document the 16 years mismanagement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) so that future generations would not repeat the same mistakes.
President Muhammadu Buhari has said.
“I am overwhelmed by your patriotism. The least you could do was to deny me votes in your immediate constituencies. However, much your people loved me, they would have voted for their own first. I am really overwhelmed by your support.
“We lost unimaginable revenue in the 16 years of mismanagement of the country by the previous PDP administrations. Look at the state of roads, rail, power, and infrastructure generally, as at 2015, when we came into office. The roads were not done, neither were they even maintained.
“The number of lives and property lost on Lagos/Ibadan Expressway on a daily basis, for instance, was very sad and tragic. And many other roads like that in the country. If the various administrations had fixed infrastructure, Nigerians would have simply minded their businesses. They wouldn’t bother about who even governs them. But the mismanagement was unparalleled. Our historians and economists should help document it, so that future generations would take note, and not repeat the mistakes,” he said.
