28th September, 2018
Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo are drumming support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election victory in 2019.
The party’s stakeholders upbeat the campaign in separate interviews at the aide line of the Presidential Primaries of the APC in Benin on Friday.
While noting that the goodwill enjoyed by the president at the wake of the 2015 elections have not waned, they stressed that their optimism was further awakened by Buhari’s achievement in office.
They made particular reference to his fight against corruption, massive investment in infrastructural development and agriculture.
The party chieftains lauded the massive turnout of members for the Presidential Primaries which they described as peaceful.
Mr Bagudu Suleiman, the Chairman of the party in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo, said it was based on this goodwill that the people defied the heavy downpour on Friday to identify with the president.
Mr Patrick Aguenede, the Esan West Local Government Council Chairman, said it was not all about the primaries, but the general elections itself.
“I am not only impressed about the turnout of our members today to identify with President Muhammadu Buhari, but we are assuring him that he will be returned elected in 2019,” he said.
In Esan North East, a leader of the party, Mr Joe Okojie, said his people’s preparation to return Buhari have gone beyond the primaries.
Okojie said APC members in the locality believed in Buhari’s ability to develop the country.
In Ovia South West, Mr Peter Ajayi, the Chairman of the APC, said they have endorsed Mr Dennis Idahosa for the House of Representatives just as they want Buhari to return in 2019.
The State Secretary of the APC, Mr Lawrence Okah, said Edo APC has demonstrated its love for the person of Buhari and his leadership style.
“You can see for yourself that the crowd was tremendous. We could not even finish counting. As I speak in this Ward 7, we have more than 1,147 persons voting for just one candidate, Buhari.
“In spite of the rain, people came out. That is to show the support our president has. If this can happen in one ward and we have 192 wards in Edo state.
“You better imagine at the end of today, you will see a lot of people coming out to vote for Buhari. This is just a party matter.
“It is raining yet people are coming out to vote. You can see for yourself. They have been here since 8 a.m waiting for this day to come,” he said.
NAN also reports that APC members in Edo on Friday defied the heavy downpour to participate in the direct primaries to elect the party’s presidential candidate.
At the various wards visited across the state, party members came out in their large numbers.
The presence of security personnel across all the wards visited to maintain law and order.