By Ahmed Idris
President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday that weak and selfish politicians who could not align themselves with the vision of the present administration have exited the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President said this when he received the N45 million nomination and Expression of Interest forms for his re-election purchased by a political group, Nigerian Consolidation Ambassadors Network (NCAN), at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He commended the group, made up of youth from different parts of the country, for obtaining the forms for him.
The President said he had to come out of retirement to realise his vision to rescue the country in 2002 in the build up for the 2003 presidential elections.
“I am honoured today to receive youths from all over the country contributing to buy the form for me. The weakest whose sense of expectation do not align with our vision have exited our party. We now have a party of strong and patriotic people who are ready to work for a strong Nigeria,” he said.
The President said the present administration has so far completed rail project and new ones under construction and provided support for farmers including the rehabilitation of fertilizer plants.
He said the government also implemented the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which, he said, has reduced stealing in public service.
In his remarks, deputy chairman of NCAN, Mr. Chuckwuemeka Nwajiuba, said the three million members of the group contributed as little as N68 to purchase the form after assessment of the performance of the President.
He said the President’s commitments to the fight against corruption, the fight against terrorism and the rejuvenation of the economy were some of the reasons that spur the group to pay for the expression of interest and the nomination forms. He said: “Nigerians for the first time in many years could see a leader who painstakingly took decisions solely on the bases of national interest, above his or anyone else’s. A leader who belongs to all and behooving to our country and to God only, who in His infinite mercy brought our president back from the brink of death and restored him to strength and vigor.
“These Ambassadors whose network seeks to consolidate these gains and engrain this focus, then decided to contribute their intellect, and little earnings towards ensuring that our president is encouraged to continue this service, being as is now apparent the real beneficiaries of all the toil and tenacity of purpose that now radiates from this leader, in spite of the hue and cry from a vociferous few whose strangle hold on our commonwealth has become somewhat dislodged.
“It is on account of the resolve of these ambassadors that they proceeded to obtain the nomination form for the president from the All Progressives Congress, to encourage Mr. President to seek to be re-elected for another term to help consolidate the work he is doing.
“As those who have championed BUHARI…SHIP (Sincerity to one another, Honesty in al dealings, Integrity in all conduct and Performance in all service), from the onset in late 2002, through daunting travails and to this point where we all press for the consolidation of its gains. This trust is solemn and we will continue to keep it.”
