AGAIN, BUHARI TELLS SUPPORTERS TO DEFEND THEIR VOTES

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has again asked his supporters to defend their votes during the February 14 elections.
A similar admonition by the former head of state during the 2011 election was mistaken by his supporters who resorted to violence and killed several Nigerians in some northern states.
Only last week, Buhari joined other presidential candidates including President Goodluck Jonathan to sign a no-violence accord in Abuja amidst fears that the forthcoming polls might go violent following the constant threats by some politicians to reject the outcome of the contest if they failed to win.
Buhari gave the fresh charge in Minna, Niger State yesterday when he addressed his supporters at the Polo Ground in the state capital.
He said: “Do not leave the polling units until the results are declared.”
According to him, anything that might jeopardise the result of the election should not be allowed to take place, adding that, “wherever you are, defend your votes during the February elections.”
Buhari assured the people of the state that he would provide enough power to enable businessmen and women carry out their activities in a dignified manner, stressing that without power, most of the industries would not thrive.
He said if voted into office, he would improve the agricultural sector in Niger, knowing full well, the state is one of the food baskets of the country.
Speaking at the rally, former Lagos State governor and national leader of APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, said President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was characterised with bunch of lies and that is why the country cannot move forward.
He said: “Six years ago, he promised us that, he will step down and will not recontest again, but today, the same is the case, putting the country into economic mess.”
Babangida hails APC for picking Buhari
Meanwhile, former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, has praised APC for picking Buhari as its standard bearer.
Babangida told Gen. Buhari that “you have beaten some of us in proving Gen. Douglas Mc’Arthur’s theory that, “old soldiers never die but fade away gradually, but you have refused to fade away.”.
While commending APC for honouring the military by nominating one of their own (Buhari) as its presidential bearer, Babangida said that, “I wish to congratulate members of the party for the honour of nominating my colleague, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as your presidential candidate in 2015 election.”
The former military president had earlier blamed the media for the stained relationship between him and Gen. Buhari, saying that the media had misrepresented their relationship.
He said that the media had created the impression that the two leaders were at loggerheads.
According to him, “You media men have created this impression that we are fighting each other. Look at us here today, he knows what I mean and I know what he means. We both fought to keep Nigeria one when we were young Majors then. We were well travelled.”
“I want to commend APC for choosing our colleague as your flagbearer. All of us will support you (Buhari) in this cause to salvage this country,” Babangida stated.
Earlier, Buhari said he was in Minna in continuation of his nationwide shopping for votes to salvage the country from the 16 years of misrule of the PDP government.
Buhari, who was elated by his host’s words, said he had earlier met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, but said he failed to pull him to APC, though he (Obasanjo) supported his aspiration.
Source: Nigerian Pilot