The campaign train of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), moved to Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday with a huge crowd welcoming the party’s leadership to the Mapo Hall venue of the rally.
The event was also used to present APC flag to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State.
While addressing the crowd, Buhari described the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party’s reign in Nigeria as nasty, pointing out that a high rate of unemployment, insecurity and waste of resources had brought Nigeria to its knees.
He said the APC would solve the problems confronting Nigeria if voted into power next month.
Buhari said, “I salute our party leaders that are present here. Sixteen years experience of the PDP has been a nasty one in Nigeria. Majority of Nigerians is in the age bracket of 30 and below are unemployed. This coupled with the insecurity in the country and corruption in the Federal Government have brought a great deal of suffering to Nigeria and the only way out is to vote the PDP out.
“Despite spending over $20bn on electricity, we still don’t have power. Our industries have closed; we have a high rate of unemployment, porous borders and a high rate of smuggling. What you can do is to make sure that you collect your Permanent Voter Cards and vote out the PDP.
“We have no doubt that the South-West bloc understands what change is. The ball is in your court. What we can save from stopping corruption will go into the development of agriculture and mining. Let us see the return of cocoa farms. What the APC will do is to make sure that we put on the ground infrastructure and good roads. We have no doubt in the ability of Oyo State governor. Let us remove the PDP.”
A national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said Nigerians deserved praises for their perseverance despite the huge burden being placed on them by the PDP rule. He called on Nigerians to reject President Goodluck Jonathan and embrace Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN).
He said, “I salute the courage of Nigerians for tolerating Jonathan in the past six years. Now we have rejected him. If you have not collected your PVC, go and do so, it is your own. Don’t allow these set of lickers to lick your votes.
“You must wake up early and go and vote Buhari and the APC when it is time to vote. Jonathan has scattered Nigeria. In six years, he has been giving us excuses that there is no money. Please, let him go. Some people said they are the real Afenifere. But I tell you, we are Afenifere.”
While addressing the issue of Buhari’s age, River State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, said Nigeria would be better under an experienced person, adding that after the failure under a youthful president, it was time to embrace experience.
He said, “The PDP said that we are presenting an old man as our candidate but I like the response of Nigerians. They now shout ‘Sai Buhari! Say Baba! Age comes with experience. If a young man in his 50s has been given the chance to rule Nigeria and he cannot do it, it means that we need an experienced leader.
“If an experienced man had been there, we would not be in the problem we are now in Nigeria. We would not have lost $20bn and the president would not be saying only $10.2bn was missing. Stealing is stealing, corruption is corruption. We have had a president that has served for six years but has not created one million jobs. He now said he would create two million per year. Is that possible?”
In his address, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomole, said the PDP had killed Nigerian industries while the people were being exploited through fixed electricity charges.
Also speaking, Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, called on the Yoruba to reject President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP, stressing that change would only come when the APC formed government at the centre.
“I am impressed with this large crowd. Yoruba, say no to PDP, no to Jonathan. Four years ago, Jonathan said he had no shoes, now we have bought shoes for him in six years, let him go home,” he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment