President Muhammmadu Buhari said Friday that Wednesday’s maiden Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting saved him from the trauma associated with waiting for the outcome of judgement on election matters.
The president said this when he received governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa Abuja, who came to congratulate him on his victory at the tribunal.
“On this judgement, again it was a fabulous coincidence that it came almost the same time the first Federal Executive Council meeting of this government was taking place. It lasted about the same time with the judgement. I thank God for that because I think would have gone into trauma or something. So I was busy trying to concentrate on the memo.
“The first memo was on the budget and it took more than five hours. So, while you were doing your thing for nine hours, we were doing ours for about seven hours here.
“It is a very interesting coincidence and I thank God for it because I would have been in trauma or something of that sort. So, thank you very much for sharing the glory with us.
“What I will say to your congratulations, the chairman of the party and the governors is that we must make sure that we really institutionalized the party, so that when we leave the stage the party will continue to lead,” he said.
In his remarks, national chairman of the ruling party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, said the president’s victory was never in doubt.
“We never doubted that you won convincingly. You earned it and the tribunal affirmed that. It is unfortunate that they questioned your credibility. How can they say you didn’t go to school.
“The PDP has no one among them in their midst, one who attains various commanding positions in public service and came out unstained. “The APC family supports you wholly and will continue to support you as you deliver your promises to Nigerians,” he said.
Also speaking, chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and governor Kebbi state Mr Abubakar Atiku Bagudu said the judgement has silenced the president’s critics.
“We are here to celebrate your victory and that of our party at the tribunal. I say big congrats to you.
“We don’t know how it happened, but it was televised live for Nigerians to see for transparency. It silence all doubts. We never doubted your positions and now the law has affirmed it too.
“It was noteworthy that you were not even distracted as you chaired the FEC on day of judgement,” he said.
The governor commended the president for the Social Investments Programme and massive rail projects and infrastructure development across the country.
