Draws Line On Anti-Graft War
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Maj.Gen Muhammadu Buhari, last Wednesday, in Kaduna, took his critics to task over his health status, as he literarily, turned the zonal rally of the party in the state, into a road show which automatically brought vehicular movements in major roads in the state capital, to a near permanent halt for hours. It was his final lap of North-West rally of the party, preparatory for the March 28 rescheduled elections.
The APC rally was scheduled to hold at the popular Murtala Mohammed Square but the Kaduna State Government was alleged to have denied the party access to the venue. The APC Presidential Campaign Council changed the venue to the permanent site of the Kaduna International Trade Fair Complex along Zaria-Kano Expressway, Rigachikun.
There was gridlock along the express way. Those traveling from Kano into the city and those traveling from the state to Zaria, Katsina and other states were stranded for several hours as vehicular movement was halted, following the movement of the huge crowd of his supporters who accompanied him on the road show, to the venue of the rally.
Addressing the party supporters at the rally, Buhari said his administration would not condone stealing but promised that he will pardon past leaders accused of corruption or any wrong doing, if voted into office. He however added that he will draw a line the moment he assumes office as elected President of Nigeria and that anybody who involves himself in corrupt practices from then on, will face the music
On the issue of past corrupt leaders facing trials in various courts in the country, Buhari said he would allow the courts to decide on those cases but whoever that is indicted of corruption between 1999 to the time of his swearing-in, would be pardoned.
“I am going to draw a line, anybody who involves himself in corruption after I assume office will face the music,” he said.He admonished his supporters to not only follow him for the clamour for change but also to get their Permanent Voter Cards and vote out the PDP.
He warned that another another four years of PDP rule, would make it 20 years of poverty, corruption, lack if power as well as several challenges militating against the development of the country.
“If you don’t want to continue to suffer, to be enslaved and reduced to mere paupers, then vote APC from the presidential through to even house of assembly candidates in the forthcoming elections,” he said.
“The stealing is continuing, bad leadership is continuing and it is a must that this must change. This is (why) I have provided myself as a sacrificial lamb for the change.
Buhari added that by the time his party takes over government on May 29, “our schools and tertiary institutions would be properly funded” He added that his administration would provide good portable water, stable electricity supply and that those involved in small scale businesses would grow progressively as a result of stable power supply.
Speaking earlier at the party’s Town Hall meeting with both Christian and Moslem religious leaders in the zone, the APC Vice presidential candidate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, declared that the war against graft in the APC government, will not spare even leaders of the party found culpable.
Professor Osinbajo also used the occasion to dispel the insinuations, allegedly by the Governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliu, that Gen. Buhari will be serving only one term in office. He declared that the APC presidential candidate is healthy and strong, adding that “by the grace of God he will run two term in office by God’s grace.”
Fielding questions from participants at the Town Hall meeting which held at Hamdala Hotel, Kaduna,, Osinbajo who stood in for Buhari said, concerning corruption allegation against some of the leaders of APC, by their opponents, that the party’s position is clear, stating that no matter who is involved, the law would be allowed to take its cause.
He said: “On the various issue of corruption, what General Buhari has said categorically is that as far as he is concerned, the day he is sworn in as president he would have drawn a line, Anybody who runs foul of the law, anything that is being investigated before, will continue as it is.
“f you are found to be corrupt, you will receive the consequence, no matter who you are, whether you are his brother, sister, his friends, there will be consequences. That is what he has said and I think that is in line with the position of the party.”
Speaking on the report in a section of the media that General Buhari has signed a pact to serve one term in office if elected, Osinbajo said: “He is just too straight forward to do that, you know he can never do that, there is no way he is going to sign any agreement, so let us be very clear, I don’t even need to ask him that, I know him well enough that he will never sign anything of such, the man is healthy and strong and by the grace of God he will run two term in office by God’s grace.”
On allegation of APC conniving with INEC to rig the forth coming elections, Osinbajo said the only position taken by the APC was that INEC must use the card reader for the elections.
He said: “The PDP that in the past, was happy to use the card reader,is no longer prepared to use the card reader and we insist that it must be used, that is all. And if you look in the Newspapers you will see all kind of advertisements condemning Professor Jega who they all loved initially, when it now appears that we the APC will win the election, they are now afraid.”
“It is bad and horrible that even some of our documentaries which just point out the failings of government are not allowed by the regulatory body. We are not even attacking any personality the way they are doing, but the regulatory body refuses to accept them, so we have a playing field that is not level.
” I think because the regulatory bodies are controled by the federal government, we are not even given fair hearing”..
In his welcome address at the occasion, the APC Governorship candidate in Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, said the reason for the meeting was for the party leaders to interact with the religious leaders in the North-west part of the country.
He said there was no doubt with the level of support the party had received across the country, if elections were held in a free and fair manner, with the use of Card Reader, APC will record landslide victory.
Some religious leaders who spoke at the event enjoined politicians to embrace peace, reminding them that they need a country first before they could govern.
“Why can’t we leave in peace? Both muslim and Christian are one, whatever Christian woman has a Muslim woman also has, likewise men. So, I am appealing to everyone in this country to embrace peace to the extend that America and other countries will come and copy from us.” One of the pastors said.
Some of the party leaders in attendance were the APC national chariman chief John Oyegun, Deputy Chairman (North) Shuibu, party governorship candidates in Kaduna, Bauchi and Kebbi among other dignitaries.
