Buhari Confirms Interest in Presidential Bid!

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday declared interest to contest for Presidency in the forthcoming 2015 elections.

Buhari, who would be aspiring for the plum job the fourth time now on the platform of the APC, told his supporters amidst a defeaning applause: "With your support, I intend to offer myself for the position of the president of the country on the platform of our great party. I intend to make a formal announcement soon and I hope I can count on your continuing support and sacrifice."

Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari

He assured that if the APC is voted into power, it would address the multi-faceted problems besetting the polity.

He said: "We are the alternative the nation has been waiting for. We are committed to democracy and entrenching its culture in Nigeria. We are committed to the principles of good governance and making them work in this country.

"We are committed to public probity and entrenching a culture of accountability in the conduct of government business. Because we are committed to developing the potentials of this nation into true greatness, we shall bring about transformative change in this country - change in the way things are done and change in the way things are undone; change in the way this nation is left unsecured and mismanaged; and change in the way corruption is pampered and worshipped; and we shall install a culture of openness in public affairs. We shall develop this land and go after prosperity and get it for our long suffering people."

He thereby urged his supporters to remain faithful to the APC irrespective of the outcome of the presidential primaries where he will slug it out with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, for the ticket of the party.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) yesterday called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to caution political parties who use third-party machineries to carry out political campaigns even as the time for electioneering campaigns have not begun as provided by the Electoral Act.

IPAC Chairman, Tanko Yinusa who made the call while speaking at the quarterly meeting of INEC and registered political parties yesterday at the headquarters of the commission in Abuja told the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, that the council at its last meeting on September 26, 2014 frowned at the new system of campaign whereby political parties use third-party machineries to carry out campaigns.

Yinusa alleged that senior government officials in power are behind the violation of the electoral guidelines, which he noted, stipulates that election campaign must start 90 days before the election.

In the same vein, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed INEC for acting too little, too late by issuing a warning on illegal public political broadcast and campaign, saying the commission's belated action is highly suspicious.

In a statement issued in London yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said INEC's action, coming after the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan have been campaigning endlessly for the 2015 elections, can only be to the disadvantage of other candidates and political parties.

The party said: "Is it a ploy by INEC to give undue advantage to the PDP and its adopted sole presidential candidate, President Jonathan, in next year's elections?

"When did INEC become aware that these actions are illegal, considering that Section 221 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which INEC quoted in its warning letter, says 'no association, other than a political party, shall canvas for votes for any candidate at any election or contribute to the funds of any political party or to the election expenses of any political candidate at an election."

The IPAC chairman while urging INEC to, as a matter of urgency, stop the third-party campaign, disclosed that the council has given its total support to the proposal by INEC to create about 30,000 new polling units across the country, stressing that it was long overdue, especially with the increase in the population as well as other new settlements.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Jega said the commission's quarterly meeting with the registered political parties would now be conducted every month, adding that the desire of INEC and the political parties to constantly deliberate on how to make the forthcoming election free, fair, credible and widely accepted by majority of Nigerians and international community has given rise to the decision to meet every month.

He added that moving down the meeting from quarterly to monthly would make the commission and the political parties deliberate extensively on issues of mutual concerns, especially with regards to preparing for the 2015 general elections.

The INEC Chairman, while stressing on the need for all the registered political parties to collaborate fully with the commission towards ensuring the conduct of an election that would be rated high internationally and also devoid of violence.

Buhari further said: "If I get the party nomination, I expect you will redouble your effort and commitment until we clinch the Presidency. But in the event that it happens to be one of the other aspirants who wins, I expect you as good party men to extend to him your support. We are a united party, and united we shall remain, because our strength lies in our unity."

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