The third national convention and presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress went under way in
the early hours of Thursday at the Teslim
Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Five aspirants of the party, who include a
former Head of State, Maj. Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari; a former Vice-
President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar;
Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu
Kwankwaso, publisher of Leadership
newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, and
Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas
Okorocha.
Although known to be taciturn, Buhari sent the crowd of delegates and party members agog with his speech delivered in less than 10 minutes.
He said, “I have always served Nigeria to
the best of my ability. I have always tried
to give more to the nation than it has given me. This is the principle of service that has guided my public life. Thus, I am not a rich person. I can’t give you a pocketful of dollars or naira to purchase your support.
Even if I could, I would not do so. The
fate of this nation is not up for sale.
“What I will give you, and this nation is
all of my strength, commitment, sweat and toil in the service of the people. What I
can give you is my all.
“I do not intend to rule Nigeria. I want
to democratically govern it with your help.
I seek a Nigeria where Christians and
Muslims may practise their faiths in peace and security; a Nigeria that is just and where corruption no longer trespasses into our institutions and national behavior and a Nigeria where our diversity could be used for our national prosperity.
“Nigeria is our home. Let us now turn it
into the great nation we know it can and
should be.” Buhari’s speech drew a loud ovation from the crowd, some of who gave him a standing ovation.
In what could pass for where the sympathy of the governors and the APC national leadership lies, the VIP section, where the party’s past and current national chairmen, Chief Bisi Akande and Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, respectively sat went
agog after Buhari made his famous speech.
When called to make his speech, Okorocha, who said he has the capability to lead the country, added that he remained the youngest of the contestants and thus should be giving the votes to lead the party in next year’s general election.
But the crowd beside the VIP section
busted into chants in Yoruba, saying
“Arugbo la fe, arugbo la fe,” meaning “we
want an old man.”
Specifically, Okorocha had told the crowd
that Buhari is above 70 years old, even as
he said Atiku is 63 while he gave the age
of Nda-Isaiah as 58 and that of
Kwnkwaso as 58, saying that he is only 52. Okorocha said, “Buhari is 73, Atiku is 68, Nda-Isiaih is 58, Kwankwaso is 58,
Obama is 53, Rochas is only 52 years old.
Nigeria of today is different of Nigeria of
the 60s, I offer myself to run for the
exalted office of the president in order to
save the suffering masses.”
Atiku said he had been in the vanguard
against bad governance and military
dictatorship, recalling how state agents
stormed his house and tied up his son and killed six policemen during an attack on his home in Adamawa during the military era.
He said, “Nigerians are tired to see
Nigerians slaughtered everyday and the
government is unable to do anything about it.
Nigerians want change because they pay for electricity and get darkness. Nigerians are tired of the dangerous PDP mathematics, where seven is greater than
20 and six is greater than 19, where judges are beating up thugs, where the Speaker and parliament members are tear gassed.
“They are tired of where our police force
and army now butt of jokes in beer
parlours and are being compared to
hunters; where our roads are death traps.
This is the reason why Nigerians want
change, we can give Nigerians the change it deserves. You people came out because you believe in change, you believe in a nation bound in freedom, peace and unity, you believe that our nation can serve as a
leader in Africa.”
No comments:
Post a Comment