January 7, 2015 at 12:25 pm Steal Under My Administration And Go To Jail, Buhari Vows As He Begins Campaigns Posted by Segun Tomori There will be no hiding place for looters if All Progressives Congress (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Maj.Gen Muhammadu Buhari becomes President, he promised yesterday as he kick-started his campaigns in Port-harcourt and Uyo. Buhari yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, commenced his campaign for the February 14 presidential election with a promise to fight insecurity and corruption and also revive the ailing economy of the country. Addressing a mammoth crowd of supporters at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Sports Complex, Igwurita-Ali, in Ikwerre Local Government area of Rivers State, Buhari said the two major challenges facing the country are insecurity and an ailing economy made worse by corruption. He said his party had already assembled capable hands that would work towards improving the economy as soon as he is sworn in on May 29. He said: “The major problems we are facing in Nigeria today is the problem of the economy and insecurity. We have arranged competent hands to manage the economy once we come on board on May 29, 2015. “Go and get your PVC and ensure that you vote. We will make sure every vote counts in 2015 election. We have lined up programmes on how to tackle unemployment. We are going to assemble team of professionals for wealth creation and employment for our teeming youths. We will put mechanism in place to fight insecurity and improve the economy.” The former military head of state was accompanied by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; Governors Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State, as well as members of the national working committee of the party. In his goodwill message, Tambuwal said the turnout of the APC supporters at campaign rally was an indication that the people of Rivers State and Nigerians in general would come out en-masse to vote for the party in the general election. He said he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because “we don’t deserve the kind of leadership we have at the centre”. According to him, “Many people were surprised by my defection to the APC. It is because I have presided over the House of Representatives for more than three and a half years and we have carried out over-sight functions on the present government at the centre and what we saw was mind-boggling. We don’t deserve the current kind of leadership we have at the centre. “We deserve a better Nigeria. We accompanied Buhari to the rally because we believe he is the right person to take Nigeria to a greater height. Buhari is the next President of Nigeria by the grace of God, come February 14, 2015. Today we have insecurity and high level of corruption in Nigeria. There is a clear indication that the people of Rivers State will vote for Buhari and all APC candidates”. He also commended Governor Chibuike Amaechi and leaders of APC in the state for the choice of Hon. Dakuku Peterside and Hon. Honourable Asita, who are both serving members of the House of Representatives as the party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates in the state. In his speech, the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun, said the administration of Buhari would eradicate corruption, flush out the dreaded terrorist group, Boko Haram, and restore the dignity of the country. Oyegun said a vote for Buhari and APC would wipe out insecurity, Boko Haram and corruption. He said Buhari/Osinbajo ticket is a right combination, stressing that they would bring about the desired change Nigeria needs. He commended Amaechi for choosing two House of Representatives members in the persons of Peterside and Asita as APC governorship flag bearer and running mate respectively. Earlier in his welcome address, Rivers State Governor and Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Amaechi, urged the people to ensure they got their permanent voters cards to vote out the PDP to usher in the APC for the needed change in the country. “We had said that the government in power cannot protect us. As a governor, I will continue to stand by you. It is not enough to gather, go and get your PVCs and vote the APC,” he said. Amaechi thanked God for giving him the opportunity to be governor of Rivers State “because I never knew I will be governor. Today I’ve stayed in office for eight years; by this time last year men had collected money to remove us from office but they failed”. Meanwhile, there were reported attacks by unknown gunmen on members of the APC who were heading for the campaign rally from Khana, Akuku-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas of the state. Unconfirmed sources said one person was killed while two women sustained serious injuries in the attack which occurred along the Bori- Saakpenwa Road, in Khana Local Government area, as well as at Okpo community in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state. Amaechi also alluded to the attacks in his speech and blamed the development on members of the PDP. Amaechi said: “I heard today, that members of APC from Asari-Toru and Khana Local Government Areas were attacked on their way to this place. The PDP believes in guns, we believe in God and man. We shall stand and face their bullets; we shall stand and face their guns.” Highpoint of the campaign rally was the presentation of the APC flag to the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Peterside, by Oyegun. In the same vein, the tackling of the scourge of corruption formed the fulcrum of Buhari’s campaign yesterday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where he re-emphasised his position on intolerance to corruption. Buhari, who addressed another mammoth crowd in the Uyo township stadium during his presidential rally in the state, said one of the problems the nation is facing was the inability of the leadership to tackle corruption. “From the day we come to power with God willing anybody who steals Nigeria’s kobo will find himself (or herself) either in Kirikiri or another prison,” he stressed. The APC presidential candidate expressed concern that the current leadership in the country under the PDP wants to continue to govern despite the deteriorating situation of things. He recalled that in the past, the country used to have railways, airways, shipping lines, but for the past 16 years the PDP government has succeeded in destroying those facilities. “The PDP has succeeded in ruining this country. We have a lot of work to do. To secure this country, provide jobs and ensure infrastructure are put in place. “We have reached a stage where change has to come. PDP has to go, let them pack and go because enough is enough. We will use Nigeria’s money to put in education, agriculture and power,” he said. To effect the expected change, he advised Nigerians to get their permanent voters card (PVC) and ensure that on the election day, they vote under rain or sun. “This is what we are going to use to remove this monster called the PDP,”he said. Oyegun had while introducing Buhari as the presidential candidate of APC, said what Buhari saw and preached against 30 years ago on corruption and indiscipline in the country had come to pass. “Thirty years ago we were not ready, we got him out of office, but today 2015 the people of Nigeria, men, women and youths say they want General Buhari,” he said. He described Buhari as a man who is as straight as he looks in character, behaviour and everything. Presenting the governorship flag of the Akwa Ibom State to the APC govrnorship candidate, Obong Umana Okon Umana, Oyegun said it was to the glory of the party that Umana, who was admitted into the party about a month ago,s was able to pull such a huge crowd. Umanah in his speech noted that, “As a former director of budget, permanent secretary, commissioner for finance and secretary to the state government the people know me and I know the Akwa Ibom State. “I want to say that it is time for change. We have had enough of uncommon propaganda. It is time to ensure that we changed the circumstances of the people, we put an end to poverty and impunity. “We are tired of a situation where one man will act as if he was God, as if he is the one to appoint governor. Come February 28, you need to effect the change.” Amaechi on his part said despite the planned use of police and army by the PDP in the election, APC members must stand up to oppose it. He said the period of broom revolution has come to the country, regretting that about 10.5 million people who are out of school, PDP government is not doing anything to address it. Amaechi expressed concern that instead of using the nation’s wealth to create job the funds were being diverted to private pockets. According to him, if APC wins the election, Nigerians will see the difference between the present government of President Goodluck Jonathan and the president in waiting, Buhari.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 14:52:34 +0000
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