The All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Advisory Council, Plateau State, has reaffirmed its support for President Muhammad Buhari and Governor Simon Lalong ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Chairman of the Advisory Council, Capt. Joseph Din (Rtd), disclosed this yesterday in Jos during a media briefing where he said former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-Military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida do not have the moral right to ask Buhari not to re-contest in 2019.
Capt. Din, who was flanked by Chief Jethro Akun, Amb. Ignatius Longjan, both former deputy governors of Plateau State, former Minister of Information, Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande and ex-governorship candidate, Arch. Pam Dung Gyang said Buhari is the only alternative for Nigerians in 2019.
“Based on the strong will exhibited by President Muhammadu Buhari on the fight against insurgency, corruption and provision of youth empowerment and employment, we in the Elders Advisory Council are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Simon Lalong to contest for a second term in 2019 in order to complete the good work they have started. The President should ignore the comments by some eminent citizens who have asked him not to re-contest the election and we assure him of our unflinching support.”
Din said Obasanjo who tried to force himself for a third term in office does not have the moral justification to stop Buhari, saying it is only Nigerians that will decide the fate of the President during the poll.
He said President Buhari inherited a collapsed nation from his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan where insecurity, corruption and economic backwardness strived. “This government has tried in the area of provision of adequate security, considering that it came to power when insurgents were holding 13 local governments in the north east as their territory and even here in Plateau State but our armed forces with the support of government have decimated the insurgents and have reclaimed our territory.
“The Buhari government has the political will to defeat the insurgency. No President can say throughout his tenure, there were no skirmishes so he cannot exempt himself. We support Buhari and Lalong because they have shown us beyond reasonable doubt that they have the will to curtail insecurity and any form of violence.”
The elders applauded Governor Lalong for sustained security in the state. “Lalong has made us proud, even by restoring peace in Plateau. He has institutionalized peace building and reconciliation through establishment of peace building agency. Now that people are being attended to, he has continued with the uncompleted projects of his predecessors, which has made him carve a niche for himself as this is an effort aimed at uniting Plateau people.”
