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Jos APC elders give reason for dragging Buhari into 2019 race

Published

9 years ago

February 9, 2018

APC’s elders in Plateau have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to seek a second term in the 2019 general elections, and they endorsed Governor Simon Lalong for doing them “proud.”

The elders, under their umbrella body the APC Elders Advisory Council of Plateau State, said when Buhari took over in 2015, he did not promise Nigerians that it was going to be rosy.

The Chairman of the council, Joseph Din, stated this in Jos, during a press conference attended by key actors in Plateau APC politics.

According to them, the Buhari admitted that Nigerians would face challenges in the short term and then rejoice in the long run.

“We hereby unanimously endorse President Muhammadu Buhari as President of Nigeria come 2019 and Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong as governor of Plateau State come 2019,” Din said.

He said Buhari has done very well in the area of insecurity, corruption and poverty; while he has also “improved the economy by battling recession, empowering youth, and creating jobs.

“We all know that this country was heading into economic recession already when Buhari took over in 2015,” Din added.

“It was largely due to the falling prices of crude oil in the international market and the

long-term mismanagement of the economy by previous governments.

“Nevertheless, this government has been able to steer us away from recession within the shortest possible time.

“When President Buhari was taking over, he did not promise Nigerians that it was going to be rosy all through. He admitted that Nigerians were going to face challenges in the short term and then rejoice for a long time.

“Due to his economic policies, we have started seeing the difference. For instance, Nigeria produced 15 million metric tonnes of rice in 2017 alone. We are the highest exporter of yams the world over and we are the largest producer of cassava the world over. This has reduced the country’s food importation bill.

“We in the Plateau State APC Elders Advisory Council call on President Muhammadu Buhari Governor Simon Bako Lalong to run for a second term in 2019 in order to complete the good work they have started.”

The party’s south-south caucus Thursday unveil their plan for Buhari’s re-election, too, going as far as setting up campaign committees yesterday in Abuja.

As endorsement pours in from across the country, Buhari has yet to declare his intention for the 2019 presidential race.