Elections: Buhari not sit-tight President ― Oshiomhole

The National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is not a sit-tight President.

Oshiomhole, who spoke at a news conference in Abuja, said the president needed a second term to consolidate on his achievements and to move Nigeria to the next level.

“We are committed to free and fair elections and President Buhari is not a sit-tight President,” the APC national chairman said.

Oshiomhole said what President Buhari was asking for, was the second term in office which was constitutional, saying his desire was to take Nigerians to the next level of infrastructure and economic development.

“Allowing President Buhari and the APC Government to go for a second term in office, will sustain achievements made so far and take the country to the next level of infrastructure and economic development,” he said.

The APC national chairman, however, said that as Nigerians would go to the elections on Saturday, they should reflect on certain statements made by Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate during his campaigns.

This, he said, included Atiku’s statement on privatisation, corruption, trader money and restructuring.

Oshiomhole recalled that Atiku during one of his campaigns had said that rather than prosecute looters of the public treasury, he would pardon them.

He also recalled that Atiku in one of the statements during his campaigns said he would privatise the country’s national assets.

The APC national chairman said this would not be in the interest of the common man.

He said that the President Buhari-led administration had been able to curtail the Boko Haram menace and other forms of insecurity in some parts of the country.

“The country and the North-East is much safer now, compared to the situation in the past,” Oshiomhole said.

The APC national chairman said that the APC administration even with declining revenue, had devoted much more funds to critical sectors of the country like rail, road and electricity.

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Oshiomhole noted that without spending a fraction of what the PDP spent while it was in power for 16 years, the APC had achieved much more in terms of infrastructure development.

He assured Nigerians and the international community that the coming elections would be free, credible and fair, adding that it would reflect the wishes of the people.

He stressed that the APC was opposed to vote-buying and would not encourage it in any way.

The APC national chairman specifically assured foreign observers of their safety, saying that: “they are our friends and guests; they do not have any reason whatsoever, to be afraid, we see them as partners in progress.”

He, however, maintained that Nigeria is an independent and sovereign nation and would, therefore, not tolerate undue interference in its internal affairs by the international community.

Oshiomhole urged politicians, the media and the general public to place the nation’s interest above all other interests, before, during and after the elections.

“We should all work had to uphold the integrity and sovereignty of our nation, as politicians and as media practitioners, let us pray that as we go for these elections, it will be a simple exercise,” he said.

He debunked insinuations that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was working in favour of the APC.

The national chairman expressed optimism that the APC would win the elections in a Landslide, adding that the party did not have to rig to win the polls.