President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday likened defectors from his party, APC, to ‘bad eggs’ saying “God will continue to fish out the bad eggs among us.”
Mr Buhari, speaking in Bauchi, also told supporters not to be perturbed by the recent defections in the party.
Over two scores of federal and state lawmakers as well as three state governors have defected from the APC in the past two weeks. The states where the defections occurred include Benue, Kwara, Kano, and Sokoto.
To stop further defections, Buhari on Wednesday met with APC senators and governors separately to douse the tension among both groups. Many of the federal lawmakers who defected did so mainly because of the problems they have with their state governors. More federal lawmakers are still expected to defect.
APC leaders have, however, repeatedly insisted that the defections would not affect the party’s fortunes in the 2019 general elections.
On Thursday, Mr Buhari, who is set to travel to London for a 10-day vacation, spoke at the commencement of the campaign rally for the Bauchi South Senatorial District bye-elections and the formal presentation of APC candidate for the August 11 poll, Gumau Yahaya.
According to a press statement by his office, President Buhari told the rally that the APC-led government had remained faithful in implementing its campaign promise of improving the economy, securing the country, and the fight against corruption.
“The work we are doing is because of God, our country and you. I want to inform you that the knowledge we have garnered over the years, we won’t allow you to be cheated.
‘‘Like we promised, what will determine a good future for the country are security, strong economy and to stop corruption.
“We campaigned on these things, you voted for us and we will never forget,” the president said to a thunderous applause by party supporters at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi.
Endorsing the APC candidate for the senatorial bye-election, the president who was accompanied by the party chairman Adams Oshiomhole, Governors of Bauchi, Plateau, Kano and Imo States, and other party officials declared: “we have confidence in him and we trust him.”
He, therefore, urged the people of Bauchi South Senatorial District to vote Mr Yahaya in the upcoming election.
The president also thanked the people of Bauchi for defying the heavy rainfall and coming out en masse to welcome him and show solidarity to the party’s candidate in the senatorial election.
He assured APC supporters in Bauchi that his administration will continue to work hard to surpass its campaign promises for a better Nigeria.