Traditional rulers in Taraba State have asked Nigerians to consider President Muhammadu Buhari as God’s gift to the country.
They applauded President Buhari’s leadership role which they said is characterized by selflessness and commitment to rid the nation of graft.
Speaking when the President paid him a royal visit as he arrived the state capital for the APC Presidential rally, the Emir of Muri, Abbas Tafida who represented the Chairman of the traditional Council in Taraba state, Shekaro Angyu Masaibi, said that the nation is in dire need of people who are out to make sacrifices for the citizens.
But the traditional rulers made one strong request on President Buhari, saying: “as a father, I want to make one plea with you and I ask you to be patient. Our former Governor, Reverend Jolly Nyame is convicted of criminal acts and is now in prison. I acknowledge and accept the action of our judiciary.
“I acknowledge and accept the need to correct this country by taking punitive measures on anybody who violates the law for his selfish purpose. But as a father, Mr President sir, I want to say I have seen him and I have known that he has regretted his actions. I have seen him and have accepted that he has seen a lot of corrections, and as a father I cannot hide my innate sympathy.
“I will therefore, not now, but at the right time and I say it for all to hear, come with a delegation to plead for your mercy at the right time in the right manner and in consideration of the overall national interest.
“We are not going to ask you to do anything out of the way. And we are not going to change your policy of correcting Nigeria. Nigeria must be corrected and must be corrected now and you are the right person to do it.
“But, please Mr President…we here live by law and to love one of us is not out of place.”
He said that as monarchs, the traditional rulers in Taraba state will not coerce citizens to vote for any particular candidate in the forthcoming elections unlike what obtained in the past.
“We are not going to force, direct or coerce anybody into voting anybody. We are going to stand neutral, we are going to guide our people into the importance of voting and standing to support their votes.
“And we call on the political participants to understand that voting is God’s gift to all of us and nobody should do anything to abuse the programme of democracy.”
Responding however, President Buhari, said that his administration is still determined boos the nation’s economy and fight insecurity, even as he said that his government is poised to tackle the prevailing menace of corruption besetting the country.
“I have taken note of the representation of your representative about the former Governor here who was convicted with another governor.
“I have taken note of that, but look at the time it took from looking at the books to successfully prosecute him and his other colleague from Plateau state. There are a lot others. This system is very slow and since it is the system we have to follow it. I came in a different system I treated it differently. But I too, I was treated differently. So, I have this experience.”
President Buhari thereafter proceeded to the stadium, venue of the rally where thousands of the All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters had thronged to receive him along with the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustafa.
Others who accompanied the President were former Governors of Bauchi and Borno states, Isa Yuguda, Ali Modu Sheriff as well as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
