2023: Why I Had No Impact On Tinubu’s Rise — Buhari

2023: Why I Had No Impact On Tinubu’s Rise — Buhari

Before Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was chosen as the party’s presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed that a certain governor of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had pressured him to announce his preferred candidate for the position.

Speaking during a Sallah homage to the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, in Daura, Katsina State, Buhari reaffirmed that the election of Tinubu was totally democratic and a reflection of the wishes of the party’s members.

The President was quoted as stating the following in a statement released by Mallam Garba Shehu, his Senior Special Assistant for Media and Publicity:

“When the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) signaled parties to elect their presidential candidates, we had 30 aspirants, mostly ministers in my cabinet and governors.”

He added: “I told each of the aspirants to go and do their best. One particular governor, in his wisdom, came to meet me and asked who they should vote for at the party convention, checking if I had a preferred candidate.

“There was no need for interference, knowing the competence of all the aspirants. They went and elected Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and he picked his running mate, Sen. Kashim Ibrahim, in a process for the 2023 elections. I am praying that we will have peaceful and successful elections.”

The openness and fairness with which the APC convention and nomination were conducted, according to the President, should be viewed as a confirmation of the openness and fairness that will be used in the conduct of the general elections in 2023.

According to the statement, Buhari thanked Nigerians for their support of the APC in 2015 and 2019. He also said that he had a rich experience in the presidential elections of 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2015, visiting all 774 local councils and 36 states.

He emphasized that his administration was making every effort to address security issues and stated that if Nigerians knew what other African nations were passing through, they would be grateful to God.

The President prayed that God would give him more strength and wisdom to protect the people and fulfill his promises.

Buhari further said: “They say he who wants to serve should be ready for the responsibility of leadership. Three times I wanted this position and three times I ended up at the Supreme Court. For that reason, in terms of experience, I have gathered a lot. I visited 774 local councils in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.

“I feel privileged that Nigerians elected me in 2015. Since then, we have been doing our best to tackle the challenges, with God helping us. We are not alone. If only we knew what other countries in Africa are passing through, we will be grateful to God, and protect our country. Other African countries are passing through a lot.

“As leaders, we are doing our best, and will keep doing our best to improve the situation. I am praying that the Almighty God will give us more strength and wisdom to protect our people, and fulfill our promises of ensuring wellbeing,” he said.

The President said his administration would keep doing its best to address the concerns on security, which the Emir of Katsina and Governor Aminu Bello Masari highlighted in their remarks.

“I have heard all that the Governor and Emir have to say on what people expect from government. I will not add anything. I am the one receiving the orders. I will continue to do my best,” he said.

In his remarks, Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari commended the President for his wisdom in sealing the nation’s borders to encourage local food production, which resulted in self-sufficiency.

Usman made four demands of the President in his remarks: the immediate opening of the Cancer Research Center, which the federal government had appropriated funds for; the commissioning of the Rimi windmills as promised by the Minister of Power two years ago; and the restart of construction on the dual carriageway connecting Katsina and Kano and the rail line connecting Kano and Maradi.