The Buhari Support Group, an amalgamation of about 189 different support groups that worked for President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said he has no option but to contest the 2019 elections.
This is even as the President has commended various support groups working for the progress of his administration, saying posterity will reward their sacrifices for the peace, progress and prosperity of the nation.
Leaders of the group, Abu Ibrahim and Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, who were in the Presidential Villa to meet with Buhari, to intimate him of the activities of the group, said they believe in his philosophy. Ibrahim said though the issue of 2019 did not come up at the meeting, the group believes Buhari can ensure the “progress, stability and prosperity of the nation.”
He said, “Well, we came here as members of the national committee of the Buhari support group. This is an amalgamation of about 189 different support groups that had worked for President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to win the 2015 general election. We have been holding meetings, discussing the problems of this country, Nigeria. So, we thought it was high time we meet with the President to intimate him about the activities of the group.
“We discussed with him about the plans to improve the situation in Nigeria. Mr President was very pleased with our programmes.”
Asked why the group was trying to convince the him to contest the 2019 presidential election, Ibrahim said, “Well, that didn’t come up actually. We only discussed the programmes of the organization and problems of the group. But we didn’t go into the 2019 elections.”
Asked if the group is going to encourage him to contest, Ibrahim said, “Yes. Because l believe in his philosophy and l believe he can solve the problems of this nation. He can ensure the progress, stability and prosperity of this nation.”
Lawan, on his part said it is not enough to help a party win election but also to support the government of the day to succeed. “You know it is not enough to help in elections like most of us did. It is important that we continue to support the President and his administration across the nation as a group, this is what we will continue to do. We will continue to identify with and support all the programmes that this administration has set forward. And l believe that we have every justification to be happy because, the President campaigned on three major pillars of anti- corruption, fighting the insecurity across the country and revitalizing the economy of Nigeria. It has been a very, very good journey so far and also we believe that Mr. President and Nigerians have a future beyond 2019. What he has started, by the grace of God, he should be able to complete, up to 2023.”
Asked the areas Buhari could improve upon ahead of 2019, Lawan said, “Well, we have issues we think that the administration will be dealing with very successfully, now that we have economic recovery and growth plan which encapsulates everything we need to move Nigeria forward. Now that Nigerians have continued to show love for Mr. President, l believe that we are going to achieve those things that we set for ourselves at the moment. I also believe that the future is bright and by the grace of God, by 2019, we would have achieved so much in this administration and Mr. President will have no option but continue the good work he has started.”
In a statement later released by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said, President Buhari assured them of the judicious use of available national resources for the betterment of all Nigerians.
“I am grateful for your sacrifices. Your work requires a lot of sacrifices both physical and material. I do not think anybody will join this organisation for material reasons. What you are doing is for the nation and not for me as an individual. Therefore, there is no way you can lose because what you are doing is for posterity,” he said.
|The Sun