APC'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL

Tinubu co-chairs APC presidential campaign council; Dangote, Otedola named advisers (FULL LIST)

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has released the names of members of its Presidential Campaign Council for the 2019 elections.
They are as follows: 
2019 Elections: APC Picks Tinubu As Co-Chairman Of Presidential Campaign Council
Updated December 28, 2018

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been chosen as co-chair of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council.
Tinubu is to join President Muhammadu Buhari who is the chairman.
This latest development is according to a statement by the party released on Friday, December 28.
The APC in its statement released the names of members of its Presidential Campaign Council for the 2019 elections.

Below is the full list as published by the ruling party.

CHAIRMAN
President Muhammadu Buhari

CO-CHAIRMAN
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

DEPUTY CHAIRMEN
1. The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

2. The APC National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomole

VICE CHAIRMAN NORTH
Senator George Akume

VICE CHAIRMAN SOUTH
Senator Ken Nnamani

DIRECTOR GENERAL
His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi

DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL (OPERATIONS)
Senator A.O. Mamora

DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL (COORDINATION)
Arch. Waziri Bulama

SECRETARY
1. Adamu Adamu

2. Dele Alake

ZONAL DIRECTORS
a. North West: Senator Aliyu M. Wamakko

b. North East: Senator Muh’d Ali Ndume

c. North Central: Senator Abdullahi Adamu

d. South West: Sola Oke, SAN

e. South East: Sharon Ikeazor

f. South-South: Senator Godswill Akpabio

DIRECTORATES
a. Director, Buhari Support Groups – Dr. Mahmoud Mohammed

b. Director, Strategic Communications – Festus Keyamo, SAN

a. Deputy Director- Abike Dabiri- Erewa

c. Director, Contact & Mobilization – Hadiza Bala Usman

a. Deputy Director South -Victor Eboigre

b. Deputy Director North- Senator Bashir Nalado

d. Director, Election Planning & Monitoring – Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN

a. Deputy Director I- Baba Kura Abba Jato

b. Deputy Director II-Chief Emani Ayiri

e. Director, Logistics – Dr. Pius Odubu

a. Deputy Director- Senator Umanah Umanah

b. Deputy Director II- Nasiru Danu

f. Director, Policy Research & Strategy- Prof Abdulrahman Oba

a. Deputy Director- Prof. A.K. Usman

g. Director, Youth Mobilization- Hon. Tony Nwoye assisted by the APC Youth Leader Sadiq

a. Deputy Director North- Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed

b. Deputy Director South – Jasper Azuatalam

h. Director, Admin- Onari Brown

a. Deputy Director I- Chris Hassan

b. Deputy Director II- Abubakar Magaji Gasau

i. Director, Women Mobilization- Woman Leader Salamatu Baiwa

a. Deputy Director North – Binta Mu’azu

b. Deputy Director South – Adejoke Orelope Adefulire

j. Director Security – Gen. A. . Dambazzau

a. Deputy Directors – Brigadier General Gambo and Mr. U. Ukoma

k. Director Legal – Emeka Ngige, SAN

a. Deputy Director- Prof. Maman Lawan Yusufari

l. Director Field Operations- Mallam Nuhu Ribadu

M. Director Finance – Wale Edun

Deputy Director ….Alhaji Adamu Fadan

SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO MR. PRESIDENT
1. Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

2. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu

3. Senator Ahmed Lawan (Senate Leader)

4. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila ( Leader of the House )

5. APC Party National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomole

6. Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

7. Mr. Femi Otedola

COUNCIL MEMBERS
1. Chief Bisi Akande

2. Chief John Oyegun

3. Senator Ita Enang

4. All APC serving Senators

5. All APC serving and former Governors

6. All APC Members of the House of Representatives

7. All members of the National Working Committee of the APC

8. All Zonal Women Leaders

STATE COORDINATORS
1. Governors are to serve as State Coordinators in their respective states

2. Gubernatorial Candidates in non-APC States will serve as State Coordinators in their respective states

OKOROCHA LOCKS OUT OSHIOMOLE, IMO APC CHIEFS FROM STAADIUM

SOURCE: THENATIONONLINENG.NET

NATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State were yesterday locked in a fresh spat after the state government allegedly denied APC the use of Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri for the flag-off of its governorship election campaign.

Oshiomhole branded the governor’s action anti-party and derided his style of governance. Although Okorocha is an APC member, he is vehemently opposed to the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma, whose election he has threatened to work against. The governor, who is supporting his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, for the governorship race on the platform of Action Alliance (AA), fired back at Oshiomhole, dismissing the allegation that he denied Uzodinma the use of the stadium as untrue, adding that only Oshiohole could believe it. Okorocha and members of the state cabinet boycotted yesterday’s campaign of APC.

Oshiomhole said: “For the workers who no longer know what a pay day looks like, I bring a message of hope. “When a governor will look at the face of his people and say there is money to do other things but no money to pay those who are working for the government. “I bring a message of hope that appointments into your government will be made on merit and not on family connection. “I bring a message of hope that when we talk of happiness, we will not domesticate it in the hands of a sister; that the happiness of the great people of Imo State will be the primary purpose of government under Senator Hope Uzodinma. “I bring you a message of hope that in constructing buildings and building roads, they will be based on due process. “One contract will not be awarded to three people. If it must be awarded, it must not be awarded to in-laws; it will be awarded to genuine business men and women of Imo State.

“I bring you hope that never again will your governor look at your leaders and abuse them because democracy is about people. “I bring you a message of hope that never again shall we govern on the basis of family connection: whether you know somebody or you don’t know somebody; you married from me, I didn’t marry from you; that shall not be the basis of winning the next election. “I bring you a message of hope that your money will be used to develop Imo land. “And through you, I bring a message of hope to the traditional rulers; that they will be able to preside over their domains without being intimidated by the governor. “I bring you a message of hope that from now on, we will govern in a way that will leave no man in doubt that democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people.

“I want to assure those workers who have been lamenting, those families whose husbands have not been paid for six months to nine months, and I want to assure those pensioners that the bailout money which President Buhari gave to governors, including the governor of Imo State, that was not used for the purpose, that money will be retrieved and our pensioners will smile again. “Never again will a governor of this state look at you in the face and say that your salary depends on when he wants and not when it is due. “Never again will someone use your money to print posters with a President Obama when he is doing the opposite of Obama. “I bring you assurances of hope that you are going to have a governor who will lead you by the power of personal example. “Let me say it without fear of contradiction that those who are printing President Muhammadu Buhari’s posters, putting his face and their own faces because their faces are unknown, their party is unknown and they will put Buhari’s face and put the logo of an unknown party, those ones are fake.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has APC as his party. He is our presidential candidate. President Muhammadu Buhari believes in and has adopted Senator Hope Uzodinma as the APC governorship candidate. “We want real democrats that will accept the will of the people. How can you explain that an APC governor will deny an APC candidate the use of the stadium that is built with tax payers’ money from Imo State?” Switching to pidgin English, Oshiomhole continued: “I hear say yesterday he talk am say he no wan give stadium because when he dey contest against (former governor Ikedi) Ohakim, he talk say Ohakim no give am stadium. So, he too go copy Ohakim. I say e good oh! If you copy who fail exam, you too you never fail? If you copy who fail exam, what will you get? He who copy failure will find failure awaiting him.”

In a swift reaction to Oshiomhole’s allegation, Okorocha, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “For those who know Chief Hope Uzodinma very well, they won’t be surprised that he could come up with this false claim on the issue. Only men like Adams Oshiomhole would believe him. “Since Governor Rochas Okorocha became governor in 2011, the Dan Anyiam Stadium has always been made available for all the political parties and candidates to use, not minding the political affiliations.

“The Stadium is the property of Imo people and Chief Uzodinma would not have been denied the opportunity of using the facility for the flag-off of his campaign if he had asked or applied for it. “He never applied to use the stadium, especially when a press release had been issued days before the flag-off of his campaign that the governor had directed that the stadium should be released free to political parties and candidates who would like to use it for their rallies or for other political activities. “As usual, Chief Uzodinma wanted to use the stadium issue to blackmail the governor and to continue to deceive men like Oshiomhole.

“The truth is that Chief Hope Uzodinma cannot raise up to one thousand people, talk more (sic) raising a crowd that would fill the stadium. “He does not have the capacity. He knows his handicaps. Where would Chief Uzodinma get the crowd to fill the Stadium? “Last time, he published a crowd of an event that took place in the north as the crowd that graced his rally when he was named the candidate of the party. And Senator Araraume’s men also used the picture of the same crowd. We exposed them on that. “Men and women of goodwill should ignore Chief Uzodinma’s claim for who he is.”

THENATIONONLINENG.NET

OKOROCHA locks out OSHIOMHOLE, Imo APC Chiefs from stadium

NATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State w

PARADIGM SHIFT IN KWARA POLITICS?

It appears that the tight skin of the Saraki drum in Kwara politics has refused to yield to the harmattan effect of tightening. The drum has lapsed liked the retired breasts of an unrepentant harlot.
The great politician had allegedly said he spent #400 Million in 30 states for the victory of the current President  Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 general elections, when the duo were still sharing the same political hut in peace.
Why should Saraki's stronghold of Kwara State lose a parliamentary re-run elections to the opposition party (APC) in the State in the elections conducted recently? Is it that the money possibly shared didn't have the desired effect on Kwarans? Or has Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information, also from Kwara State, was able plant in political lies that perfectly whittled down Saraki's enduring influence on the people of Kwara State? Or is there a paradigm shift on the side of the electorates against Saraki's Political dynasty?
No need for hurried answers. The reality will soon be dawn on us all. Let's watch as the politics and politicking unfold in the build up to the 2019 general elections.

EL CLASSICO ON CHANNELS TV by DR. UGO EGBUJO

Source: Frank Ofili.

I watched the El Classico on Channels TV
(Dr Ugo Egbujo)

I watched Atiku's man try to defend his integrity. I watched him try to parry Keyamo's corruption blows . I heard him say Atiku was not indicted by a congressional report. I heard him say it was something about 911.

911? What da ...

I have an advice for Atiku.

He needs to come clean on this issue. He needs forgiveness. Not just from one god in Ota but from the Nigerian people.

If Atiku starts denying the congressional and FBI reports then he will bog down his campaign.

His wife opened 30 bank accounts . She received 40 million dollars of slush funds into these accounts. She denied knowing the source of these funds. These funds came from her husband according to her. Yet her husband denies corrupt dealings.

Atiku needs to own up to these skeletons. If he doesn't then they will remain on the surface and haunt his campaign. And more will be exhumed.

America knows. America knows that part of the money used to set up the American university in Yola came from a dark source. America has convicted Siemens. Siemens has confessed paying bribes to Atiku.

Atiku needs a second chance. But he cant do that by confessing only to Obasanjo and pulling wool of the eyes of the rest of us.

Sheikh Gumi didnt tell him the importance of public confession? What then did Oyedepo and Kukah do there? How can these Bishops now sit and watch their new altar boy send people to national television to lie?

Obasanjo warned him. To proceed henceforth with a contrite heart.

That report is lucid. It's emblazoned on the website of Homeland security.

Na wa ooo . They want Atikulate.......Unfortunately those guys are not some Port Harcourt convention delegates.

THE STRUGGLE FOR BIAFRA REPUBLIC: AN END OR IN SUSPENSION? ...by SHABA Mafu.

The struggle for the actualization of the sovereign State of Biafra started decades ago based, among other reasons, on the perceived marginalization of the ethnic extraction by the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The struggle culminated in a three-year enduring and bloody civil war in the mid-1960s. It was recorded that over a million people lost their lives from the two sides of the conflict. That struggle was eventually put to an end after the surrender of the main protagonist of the struggle, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, of blessed memory to the federal republic of Nigeria. After a long period of lull, the resurgence aimed at seceding from the country was again experienced in recent times.

In the days of the former president of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Biafran agitation was completely blotted out of memory at least for that period, possibly because of the political affiliation the agitators had with the former President. Shortly after the 2015 general elections, and the subsequent emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as the President of Nigeria, the agitations for the Biafran Sovereign Republic again resurfaced, this time around under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu. He fronted the agitation under the caption of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). It was usually a potent and aggressive, though non-violent protest in the bid to actualize their vision. Due to the tempo of the agitation, the federal government under the leadership of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, not only outlawed the group but also declared it a terrorist organization. The military, on its own side, conducted an operation code-named “Python Dance” in the region to nail the agitations. This exercise resulted in the inexplicable and continuous silence of the contemporary protagonist of the struggle, Nnamdi Kanu.

In a sudden political twist to the build-up to the 2019 general elections, the Vice-Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the main opposition party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has been picked from the same geopolitical region, the South-East which has been agitating for sovereignty. The candidate is Dr. Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State.

The issue this article wishes to raise are: is the desire of the South-Eastern part of Nigeria to secede from Nigeria merely politically-motivated and a deliberate deviation from the remote cause, as demonstrated in the life and times of the heroic Ojukwu? Does it mean that the agitators are easily swayed from their conviction of fighting for an independent State, based on its affiliation or otherwise, to the political party in the helms of the national government? Majority of the South-easterners currently support the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate for the 2019 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. If Atiku wins the presidential election, will the secession bid be suspended for the period of his governance? If Buhari wins, will they resume the protests? I thought that if the secessionists were actually convinced about their reason for secession, which was the principal focus of the Biafran side of the civil war, the agitators could not be so fluidly ‘persuaded’ as to allow the politics of the Nigerian nation (their perceived oppressor to determine the tempo and the end-result of their secession bid.

If the agitation resumes in 2019 if Buhari wins the presidential election, it would then be robustly concluded that the agitations were politically-motivated and the Buhari-led federal government primarily targeted. It, therefore, becomes clearer that the federal government may not have been wrong, after all for responding to a perceived enemy of its administration.

Suggestively, I would think that instead of the South-Easterners dissipating their energies in intermittent struggles for a yet-to-be-realized vision, they would have put high-profile strategy on how to occupy the highest political position in the land – the Presidency. It is clear that the Ibos are still interested in Nigerian politics, hence Dr. Peter Obi being picked to represent them at the presidency come 2019. The struggle for the Biafran republic has smeared the minds of most Nigerians against the multi-focused agitators who. paradoxically, also show full interest in Nigeria and her politics. One can therefore safely conclude that it is either the Ibos are divided on the vision of secession or they are yet to actually reconcile on a collective focus.

It would pay the entire South-East region more if they are fully involved in the Nigerian project as they have the capacity to rule very well when they combine their hardworking, commercial and industrial lives, coupled with political power in ruling Nigeria. It would pay them more also if they jettison the secession attempts and join forces to build a prosperous Nigeria.

FESTUS KEYAMO (SAN) DROPS MOTHER OF ALL BOMBS.

I asked him when most of you were analyzing that heretic message that “Jonathan is fulfilling prophecy”. I asked a simple question: “Which prophecy is Ex- President Jonathan”? Pastor Bosun went ahead to say “even if the Islamic party (APC) presents a Christian Governor in Lagos, you must not vote for him, you must vote for the other party (PDP). Wait, who was using religion?

Ex- President Obasanjo removed Senate Presidents at will, removed any opposing voice, removed Fayose for a small insult, and removed Ladoja with thugs in Ibadan. Who are you calling “DICTATOR”? BUHARI.

Ex-President Obasanjo withheld Lagos State fund for 3 years, not minding how Lagosians would eat, Yaradua got there and released the fund.

NASS members were abusing President Buhari openly, messing up everything at will; Gov. Fayose has been abusing President Buhari for 4 years now. Not a single State in Nigeria has been denied their constitutional rights because of politics till date, all their funds, Paris fund and bail out, FAAC etc. But who is the DICTATOR? BUHARI.

Ex-President Jonathan ensured that NASS opposition members were locked out including Tambuwa the Speaker of the house. They had to climb gate to gain access.

Jonathan empowered OPCs in Lagos and they were destroying anything in Ikorodu to Ojota that looked like opposition party. Orga of DSS was used to invade APC secretariat, Journalist arrested and Newspapers siezed, we forgot all these….

Ekiti was militarised, Fayose was given power from Aso rock to order Military guys at will. Fayemi the incumbent at that moment was rendered powerless that he was shouting when Police commissioner was used by PDP and a guy was shot…All these videos and pictures are still here (google is your friend). But who is the dictator? BUHARI.

Ex-President Jonathan met FX+ECA at $62 billion+. He DEPLETED it to less than $30 Billion in 5 years Jonathan sold crude oil for 5 years at an average of $100 per barrel of 2.2 million daily (2010-2014). Did he add a DIME to Nigeria purse in 5 years? NO.

Buhari the ILLITERATE sold oil at an average of $50 of less than 700,000 barrel at some points because of militancy, yet had moved that FX to $47 Billion in 3 years.

Don’t say how much did he borrow if you don’t even have the figure borrowed between 2010-2015 without adding a dime to FX.

Who is the ILLITERATE? BUHARIIII. Jide Omokore, Aluko and oil goddess Alinson made an oil deal of N1 trillion and chose not to remit to Nigeria under GEJ. Did anyone raise eyebrow?

INTEL of Ex-Vice President Atiku refused to remit to Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), not until last year that “ordinary” Hadiza the NPA boss challenged INTEL and insisted the funds must be remitted.

A Christian Professor had been leading JAMB all through Obasanjo to Jonathan yet for 40 years of JAMB; only N52 Million was remitted to FG.

A Muslim Professor who was appointed just in two years of handling JAMB remitted over N15 Billion. FIFTEEN BILLION. So who is following after righteousness?

For five years of Okonjo Iweala was paying over 45,000 ghost workers unabated, yet just within 3 years, “ordinary” Kemi Adeosun removed such nonsense…I ask again who is more effective?

Ordinary Abuja metro lane took 11 years from OBJ period that he INITIATED it…Ordinary intra-city metro lane o, but President Buhari that finished is within 3 years is the failure abi?

“Which project did President Buhari INITIATE and COMPLETE in 3 years yen-yen-yen”.
Mention any major project INITIATED AND COMPLETED in 3 years of Ex-President Obasanjo, or Ex-President Yar’Adua or Ex-President Jonathan?

So on what parameters are you using to judge 3 years of President Buhari INITIATING AND COMPLETING? Even PDP can’t finish their own secretariat let alone that which belong to NIGERIA.

Lagos-Ibadan road since Ex-President Obasanjo era till Ex-President Jonathan could not be finished. In 3 years of President Buhari, the road is receiving serious attention. Ask those who ply that road and those who go for Holy Ghost Congress monthly about the difference in pace of work. Wait, even Otuoke road in Bayelsa had to wait till President Buhari now starts to do the road. Who is the failure? Can it be BUHARIIII.

What about “Almajiri School in the North? WHERE exactly are these Schools SITUATED in the North? OK, show us the picture.

Emm, 2nd Niger Bridge? Lol, they completed it on the MAP, yet Fashola is on it PHYSICALLY now.

Did Buhari fail on security issue in Benue? YES. Did others before him fail on the same security issue in Benue? YESSS. So where did you get all these noise of “Fulani President” is helping herdsmen?

Who was the President during Jos crisis, herdsmen killing people in Zamfara in 2013, Odi massacre, Kaduna crisis? You think death suddenly started because President Buhari was a Fulani man? That he failed in that is one thing, but that YOU are making a narrative of “Fulani President” is giving herdsmen power is funny.

January 1, 2018 in Omoku, Rivers State, Christians were coming from Church; cultists from the South South killed their own people. You know why there was no serious noise by CAN and you? You could not link it to President Buhari’s herdsmen or Fulani herdsmen. The same WIKE that did not drop a million to support the families of those bereaved in his constituency (State) went to Benue State to donate N20 Milliion and you hailed him

Kidnapping of School children in Lagos; Badoo issue in Lagos; Crisis in Kaduna. Who did you call on? Ambode the Governor of Lagos and El-Rufai of Kaduna. When crisis happened in River State and Benue State, who did you shout about? President Buhari the herdsmen. What about your Bishops, Pastors and Imans that made Aso Rock their abode between 2010-2015? What did they negotiate for the body of Christ or common citizens? Yes, they got their jets; they got waivers and Universities all PERSONAL. Now that the tap to fuel their jets and lifestyles had stopped, all they tell you from the pulpit is “LIES and Prophelying“. Your anointed ones keep saying ANNOYING THINGS, yet you can’t query their lies?

Wait, I remember again your problem with President Buhari fighting corruption selectively. So, mention ONE name among those in EFCC case without a case to defend. If your hero Presidents had fought corruption with one leg, by now shebi it is the second leg that President Buhari will be fighting.

So what is your problem with the corrupt facing the music? Oh, how about blablablabla. If President Buhari did not catch them, somebody else will. But stop crying in defence of the corrupt being asked to face the music. If your uncle is corrupt, tell him to face it, and stop shouting how about other thieves.

I know you lost your job because Ex- President Jonathan lost out and your job with Mama Patience was terminated. But stop using your personal loss as a yardstick for Buhari’s achievement.

Under your hero, several young Nigerians were SCAMMED by Boro collecting money from them for Job, in the process killing many young Nigerians. Ex-President Jonathan cannot even sack him. So what do you want the families of those who died when Ex-President Jonathan scammed them of Jobs to do? Stop crying and face life.

For your information, all those lies about “hidden agenda” can only fly on you because they know you are biblically illiterate. I even saw somebody hailing Femi-Fani Kayode for being the voice for the Church. Haaaaaa, abomination. Abeg make I stop, come dey collect your abuses in packs. After all your abuse, na President Buhari I go still vote for.

~ Festus Keyamo SAN.

REMARKS BY CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO ON THE VISIT OF PDP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, ATIKU ABUBAKAR TO ABEOKUTA ON OCTOBER 11, 2018.

...
I am happy to welcome the distinguished leaders of goodwill who have led the PDP Presidential Candidate and my former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, to my humble abode and I welcome the Presidential Candidate himself.
Let me start by congratulating President-to-be, Atiku Abubakar, for his success at the recent PDP Primary and I took note of his gracious remarks in his acceptance speech that it all started here.
Yes, when it started, it was meant for Atiku to succeed Obasanjo. In the presence of these distinguished leaders of goodwill today, let me say it openly that we have reviewed what went wrong on the side of Atiku. And in all honesty, my former Vice-President has re-discovered and re-positioned himself. As I have repeatedly said, it is not so much what you did against me that was the issue but what you did against the Party, the Government and the country.
I took the stand I had taken based on the character and attributes you exhibited in the position you found yourself. I strongly believe that I was right. It was in the overall interest of everyone and everything to take such a position.
From what transpired in the last couple of hours or so, you have shown remorse; you have asked for forgiveness and you have indicated that you have learnt some good lessons and you will mend fences and make amends as necessary and as desirable.
Whenever or wherever you might have offended me, as a Christian who asks for God’s forgiveness of my sins and inadequacies on daily basis, I forgive and I sincerely advise you to learn from the past and do what is right and it will be well with you. Obviously, you have mended fences with the Party and fully reconciled with the Party. That’s why today, you are the Presidential Candidate of the Party. In addition to appreciating all that the Party has done for you, may I advise you to work together with all those who contested for the Party’s flag with you as a team for your campaign.
There are still areas, nationally and internationally, where you have to mend fences and make amends. You will know how to handle what is already out and what may yet be put out by the opposition. But, I am convinced that if you continue with the attitude that brought you here with these distinguished leaders of goodwill, with remorse and contrite heart, the rest of the coast within and outside the country can be cleared. And if there is anything I can do and you want me to do in that respect, I will do.
I am sure with the right attitude for change where necessary, and by putting lessons learned by you to work, you will get the understanding, cooperation, support and mandate - all at the national level. With Nigerians voting for you, it will mean that you secure their forgiveness and regain their confidence. It will be with the hope or assurance of a Paul on the road to Damascus Conversion. After all, change and conversion are of man. I believe that with a contrite heart, change is possible in everybody’s life and situation.
For me, relatively and of all the aspirants in the PDP, you have the widest and greatest exposure, experience, outreach and possibly the best machinery and preparation for seeing the tough and likely dirty campaign ahead through. From what I personally know of you, you have capacity to perform better than the incumbent. You surely understand the economy better; you have business experience, which can make your administration business-friendly and boost the economy and provide jobs.
You have better outreach nationally and internationally and that can translate to better management of foreign affairs. You are more accessible and less inflexible and more open to all parts of the country in many ways. As Pastor Bakare, one-time running mate of the incumbent President said, “You are a wazobia man.” And that should help you in confronting the confrontable and shunning nepotism.
As you know, along the road to where you are today, many leaders and ordinary people cooperated and overtly and covertly worked hard. On your behalf, I thank them all. May their coast continue to be expanded. And when you become Nigerian President which, insha-Allah, you will be, remember what we did together in government – we ran an administration by Nigerians for all Nigerians where merit and performance count more than blood relationship, friendship or kith and kin. Although some time and ground have been lost, you should endeavour to start from where we stopped and recover some lost ground, if not time.
Please uphold truth, integrity, principles, morality and fight corruption, crimes and insurgency. The fundamental law of the land, our constitution must be scrupulously defended. I make one demand and one demand on you today, I need you to say before God and man that you will always remain irrevocably committed to upholding ALL the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the whole country will remain your single indivisible constituency.
Constitutionalism, popular participation and inclusiveness are pre-conditions for reversing the deficits of the past three and half years. They will ensure abiding faith in our indivisibility, oneness and faith in the survival of all against none.
The fundamentals for our development, economic growth and progress are hard and soft infrastructure. Remember to always give adequate places in your administration to our youth and women.
All the authorities involved with the preparation, all processes and conduct of the election must ensure that the election is free, fair and credible.
Once again, congratulations and I wish you well. My distinguished brothers and leaders of goodwill, thank you for making this happen. I will now count on you to encourage all hands to be on the deck to take Nigeria to the level God has created it to be – autopilot level.
God bless you all and God bless Nigeria.