APC not buying crowd at rallies, says Buhari

Wisdom Uredo, Osogbo

President Muhamadu Buhari has  described the huge crowd at the ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC) rallies ahead of the forthcoming election as willing supporters who are not bought by the party.

“Nobody can buy the crowd we have seen turning out at our rallies. They have been turning out willingly to show support,” he said.

President Buhari stated this during an interactive session with Osun State traditional rulers in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, at the weekend.

The meeting was held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House as a prelude to the presidential campaign rally that followed at the Osogbo City Stadium.

The president was tacitly responding to the allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the huge crowd at APC rallies across the country were bought.

He urged traditional rulers to assist the government in the area of security by working with the police, because they are closer to the people.

“I am meeting you because you are nearer to the people and if you work hand-in-hand with the security agencies, then our nation will be free from all forms of insecurity and secured,” he said.

“We understand the fact that the issue of security is beyond a far distance approach, hence the need to incorporate the traditional rulers to ensure safety, peaceful coexistence and stability across the country.

“On our part, we will not deviate from the fundamental objectives to which the pillar of our government rests by ensuring that our nation is free from corruption, insurgency among others.”

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He lauded the performance of the APC governments in Osun State since the administration of the immediate past governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

The host governor Gboyega Oyetola promised to deliver the votes to Buhari and the APC “because of what the state has benefitted from the federal government in the provision of infrastructure, building of schools, healthcare and social investments.

In attendance at the meeting with traditional rulers were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, former Interim National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, Campaign Council co-Chairman, Bola Tinubu, Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi, former Governor and Rauf Aregbesola and former Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore.

Some ministers at the rally were Isaac Adewole, Rotimi Amaechi and Abdulrahman Dambazzau, Senators Olusola Adeyeye and  Babafemi Ojudu, State party chairman Gboyega Famodun, as well as Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Mr. Femi Adesina, who is an indigene of the state.

About 90 traditional rulers, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, attended the interactive session with the president.

The Orangun of Ila, Oba Abdul-Wahab Kayode, who spoke on behalf of the royal fathers, expressed confidence in the ability of the president to lift Nigeria above its present level.

At the rally were former House of Representatives Speaker, Olubunmi Etteh, former Deputy Governor Titilayo Laoye –Tomori, Osun State First Lady, Kafayat Oyetola and a former First Lady, Sherifat Aregbesola.

Those who addressed the rally apart from the president were Osinbajo, Oyetola, Tinubu, Akande, Aregbesola and Oshiomhole.

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Tinubu recalled that the PDP governments failed to recognise the late Bashorun Moshood Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 Presidential election, who was denied his mandate in addition to being incarcerated in prison where he died in controversial circumstances.

He said President Buhari did not only recognise Abiola posthumously, he declared June 12, the date of the election, as a Democracy Day.

Oshiomhole said with the crowd he saw in Ibadan and at Osogbo, he was convinced that Buhari would win the election.

Senatorial candidates, Bashiru Ajibola (Osun Central), Ajibola Famurewa (Osun East) and Adelere Oriolowo (Osun West) as well as House of Representatives candidates were given party flags.