It is very encouraging that President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent endorsements by well meaning Nigerians and groups for a continuation of his rulership on the country is a strong pointer to the fact that the PMB administration is on course. Unlike the ‘commercialised endorsements’ of the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, one can confidently say that the PMB endorsements are neither solicited nor paid for. Recent of such fake endorsements are those coming from factions of Afenifere, Northern Elders Forum, PANDEF, ODG, ODG, MBF, and a lot of ‘money searching and commercialised’ groups which were available to the highest bidder. The Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, had since condemned the alleged endorsement of Atiku by some Afenifere members, describing them as ‘political jobbers’.
Condemning such fake endorsements, President Buhari’s campaign office Director of Corporate Communications and Strategy, Festus Keyamo, said: “There is no fraud bigger than that of known PDP members and/or hardened PDP sympathizers wearing the apparel of socio-cultural groups, purporting to represent entire regions and endorsing their own political party. The impression given through these endorsements that PDP is expanding its support base is also an attempt to deceive Nigerians because these are groups that supported PDP in 2015 and lost the election along with PDP”.
For a performing president, his party and all well meaning Nigerians across the divides of religion, ethnicity and region, the endorsements are true reflection of the realities on ground. This is majorly because the endorsers have been convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the PMB administration has performed creditably well and has so far delivered on his campaign promises to secure the country, improve the economy, and embark on serious infrastructural development of the country. It is, therefore, no exaggeration to say that PMB has to date become a household name for good governance, infrastructural development of the country without any segregation or partiality. He certainly deserves a second term in office. This will then enable him to consolidate on his achievements and move Nigeria to the Next Level.
Aside major endorsements of PMB previously from the genuine Afenifere, Ohaneaze Ndigbo, Miyetti Allah and other right thinking groups and Nigerians in recent times, 71 retired Generals, military governors/administrators in the states and a former inspector general of police paid a visit to President Buhari to show their unflinching support for his reelection bid for his ‘Next Level’ development of the country. While accepting the support by the military, President Buhari said described the military as “an institution that gives amazing opportunities to knowing the country, its peoples and cultures’’. Led by Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd), a no-nonsense military administrator of Lagos state, the Generals noted that Buhari has done very well in fighting corruption and improving the economy. They expressed happiness that PMB has kept his words as an “officer and a gentleman.’’
The successes recorded by PMB in the last 3 and half years of his administration have certainly endeared most Nigerians into accepting this selfless and patriotic leadership of President Buhari.
Another key endorsement of the workforce of the Nigerian populace through the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, came the way of the president recently during a visit to the secretariat of the Buhari Support Group in Abuja. Announcing the endorsement, NULGE’s National President, Khaleel Ibrahim, said the endorsement by NULGE is against the backdrop of the Buhari administration’s support to the LGAs in granting autonomy to them. Accordingly, Khaleel described President Buhari’s government as “worker friendly’’. This has further confirmed the unflinching loyalty and acceptability by Nigerian workers of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Even the Nigeria Airways pensioners running into thousands have pledged their unflinching support to President Buhari’s second term in office. They have therefore planned to stage a public march to endorse President Buhari’s candidature. It is my fervent prayer that other beneficiaries of the magnanimity of President Buhari’s government in terms of paying them backlog of pensions like PHCN, NITEL, the Biafaran war veterans, among others, must reciprocate the president’s gesture by taking a cue and ‘pay back’. Nigerians are confidently looking towards better times come May 29, 2019, when President Buhari will the take oath of office for the second time.
The Buhari Media Organisation, BMO, in a statement recently on the series of endorsements by Nigerians from all walks of life, said: “This says a lot about the new lease of life the president has brought to governance and for which Nigerians are prepared to give him a resounding victory on February 16”.
No wonder a Nigerian journalist recently described President Buhari as “a special seed planted in the hearts of majority of Nigerians, no one can remove him’’. What an apt description of a president loved by many but hated by looters and their accomplices.
Ilallah writes via [email protected]
