2015 Polls: IBB backs Muhammed Buhari, vows to mobilize all retired generals
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The presidential ambition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) General Muhammadu Buhari, got a boost yesterday from his primary constituency, the military.
Former military President, Ibrahim Babangida, declared the support of all retired generals for one of their own.
Also yesterday, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-South zone, declared that the party’s flag-bearer in the presidential election, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, will surely triumph.
Babangida spoke when he played host to the APC presidential hopeful in his Uphill residence in Minna.
The former military president said he was proud of the persistence and perseverance of Buhari in offering himself for service at the highest level in the country’s young democracy.
Babangida told his guest: “You have beaten some of us in proving wrong Gen. Douglas Mc’Arthur’s theory that, ‘old soldiers never die but fade away gradually’. You have refused to fade away.”
He then commended APC for honouring the military by nominating Buhari: “I wish to congratulate members of the party for the honour of nominating my colleague, General Muhammadu Buhari, as your presidential candidate in 2015 election.”
The former military president later said that the media had misrepresented his relationship with Buhari alleging that the media had created the impression that they were at loggerheads.
“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. We are well-travelled.
“I want to commend APC for choosing our colleague as your flag-bearer. All of us will support you (Buhari) in this cause to salvage this country,” IBB stated.
Earlier, the APC Presidential candidate said he was in Minna in continuation of his nationwide shopping for votes to salvage the country from16 years of misrule by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.
Buhari who was elated by IBB’s words of assurance said he had earlier met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo who supported his ambition though he was unable to pull him to the APC.
Buhari said the party was set to take over the state with the calibre of candidates presented for various offices and the quality of those that decamped from the ruling PDP.
On Buhari’s entourage were the deputy national chairman of the party, Senator Lawan Shuaibu; national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Chief Audu Ogbeh, Chief Bisi Akande, Governor Rotimi Ameachi, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Mr. Segun Oni.
Others were General Abdulraham Danbanzzau, Senator George Akume, Chief Niyi Adebayo, Senator Bukola Saraki, Alhaji Kawu Baraje and Chief (Mrs) Kemi Nelson.
The South-South PDP leaders particularly declared the progress and preparedness of the zone for the election, stressing that “all was well” for President Jonathan’s victory.
They therefore directed PDP stakeholders to work as a team to achieve resounding success for the party at the election.
In a communique at the end of a meeting of the Presidential campaign committee of the zone, held in Abuja signed by the National Vice-chairman (South-South), Chief Cairo Ojougboh; the zone accepted its strategic duty to the overall success of President Jonathan.
They emphasized the need for the support of the zone to move Nigeria to the next level and called for all hands to be on the deck.
The communique emphasized that members of the party should go to their respective states and ensure their voter’s cards were collected before the election.
They also mandated party members from the zone to seek ways of reconciling members aggrieved over of the recently concluded primaries.
