Deputy National Chairman (North) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Lawal Shuaibu has said that the leaders of the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) in the North have resolved to support the candidacy of General Mohammadu Buhari, contrary to what they are telling Nigerians.
Shuaibu said that the opinion of some leaders of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) against Buhari does not hold water as, according to him “ACF is not a political organization. It is a cultural organisation. So, what anybody from that organisation says does not reflect on the political opinion of the generality of the people in the North.”
He said: “Let me tell you, I never said it before but I should say it now that the leaders of the PDP from the North are resolved for Buhari come February 14th 2015, go and write it down and say I told you this. Forget what they are telling you, forget what they are telling Nigerians, of course, man must eat but when it comes to that day you will see what is going to happen.”
Senator Lawal Shuaibu said in an interview today in Abuja, that the kind of change that is going to blow in 2015 general elections does not have respect for the power of incumbency, adding that “When Nigerians are resolved they go all the whole hog to realise the revolution.”
On the state of insurgency in most APC control states, the APC chieftain said: “Elections were held in Afghanistan. Legislative election also held in Syria, elections were equally held in Iraq. So, insurgency is not an impediment. The people in the Northeast are too eager to use their vote and express their opinions as regards the incumbent government because they feel highly disenchanted.
On the recent fund raising for the PDP Presidential candidate at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Senator Lawal Shuaibu said that for INEC to ensure transparency, it should demand for the receipt issued to each donor by the PDP and the account of the ruling party as according to him such monies cannot come in Ghana- Must- Go but rather through either electronic transfer or certain instruments like a Cheque or Draft.
“We must know the source of that money. If the money comes from the government account then INEC has responsibility to sanction the PDP or sanction even the individual who stole government’s money and donate for political campaigns.”
The APC deputy chairman said that his party will publish names of donors who contribute to its campaign fundraising and will not accept anonymous donations to ensure transparency.
“In our own case, we wanted to do fundraising, and I am telling you our fundraising is going to be very transparent because whoever donates we are going to publish. We are going to publish all donors to our fundraising so that, let the world see. We will not accept anonymous donors. And then whoever brings in money, it is for the world to know where this money is coming from. So we don’t have any fear over the 21 billion Naira raised by the PDP as far as there will be transparency as the law stipulates, and as far as INEC will be neutral and prepared to enforce the provision of the electoral act against any party that violates it,” he added.
He also dismissed the possibility of violence before or after the 2015 elections saying that it is the PDP that has been raising the false alarm. He stated that the fear being expressed by the ruling party is based on the premise that it will have no chance to rig as people will definitely react as he said they have been cheated in the past which they will definitely resist at this time.
The APC chieftain also said the power of incumbency and insurgency will not be an impediment to the success of the party although the insurgency is more pronounced in the APC stronghold of the North Eastern part of the country.
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