Speech By His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari
At The Inauguration Of 2019 APC Presidential Campaign Council At
The International Conference Centre, Abuja. Monday, 7th
January, 2019
Protocols:
I would like to welcome you all, the leaders of our party, the
All Progressives Congress, APC, to the formal inauguration of the
APC Presidential Campaign Council for the purpose of managing our
campaigns for the 2019 general elections.
2. This is a historical moment and I consider it a great
privilege to have been unanimously nominated by our party to run as
its candidate, unopposed, for a second term of office as the
president of our country Nigeria.
3. I thank God Almighty, and our hard working, long suffering,
yet resolutely committed fellow citizens, for the continued
investment of their trust in our own commitment and competence to
redirect our country and its governance towards sustainable and
wholesome development.
4. I congratulate all our party men and women across the
country, who are seeking election alongside me, as well as those
who have found it necessary to run on other political
platforms.
5. I congratulate all the participants in the party primary
process, who may not have gotten all they wanted, but who have
accepted to continue the work of ensuring a healthy political
process.
6. I urge all those with any remaining reservations, to recommit
themselves to the central task of our victory in the elections and
to the greater goal of uplifting this nation towards its manifest
destiny.
7. Having waited for all the dust raised by the nomination
exercise, and the carefully worked out reconciliation processes to
ensure some measure of healing, we are better placed to put
together an all inclusive campaign council, that will effectively
engage the entire voting public throughout the length and breadth
of our federation, and deliver a resounding victory for us at the
general elections.
8. This Presidential Campaign Council was constituted with a
conscious determination to ensure inclusiveness and excellence, and
is expected to conduct a campaign based on our modest achievements
to turn around our beleaguered nation from insecurity, stagnation
and massive abuse of scarce public resources.
9. Nigerians voted us into power in 2015 because they put trust
and confidence that we will make a great difference. We are now
building on the experience of our successful outing in the 2015
elections. It is my hope that this wonderful team put together will
anchor our campaigns to lead our party and its candidates to
victory in the general elections in a few weeks’ time.
10. A victory for us as a party is a victory for all well
meaning Nigerians, who are committed to CHANGE from an inglorious
past; where those in positions of public trust willfully took for
themselves what belongs to us all; where the security of our
citizens was second place to their acquisition of unwholesome
wealth; where our economic growth was sacrificed for the fleeting
ease of import dependency.
11. We have in the last 3 years and 6 months reversed this
downward slide that the PDP took us in its 16 years of misrule. We
have restored the territorial integrity of our nation, thanks to
our gallant men and women of our armed forces. We are
systematically engaged in all the remaining corridors of
insurgency, kidnappings, robberies, herdsmen and farmers
clashes.
12. We have reset our national values: corruption is no longer
condoned and is no longer seen as normal for public office holders.
The agencies of government are no longer equivocal in dealing with
anyone who flouts our laws.
13. The high and low are receiving jail terms, loots are being
recovered, and Nigerians are increasingly displaying the timeless
values of honesty, honour and decency. I congratulate us all for
making these changes possible.
14. Our economy has become a prudently managed enterprise. Our
resources are now working for us, as we ensure the delivery of key
national infrastructure, which were left unattended over these past
years.
15 The direct impact of our policies on improvements in roads,
railways, and power supply are evident. There is greater evidence
of economic diversification seen in growing local production of
agricultural produce and solid minerals.
16. Our government has succeeded in the last four years in
halting national drift, removing the shadow of insecurity and fear
dominating our life and reviving our economy from decline to
stability and growth. The macroeconomic health of our economy,
indicated by several measurable factors such as a stable exchange
rate, lower inflation, growing foreign reserves, has been applauded
by independent local and international rating agencies.
17. In addition, the quality of elections since 2015 has
continued to improve with declining levels of problems that have
defined elections in the past. Free, fair and credible elections
are the foundation of political stability and peace in any
nation.
18. We have insisted that votes must count and have maintained a
policy of non-interference in elections. INEC has so far since
2015, conducted fair and credible elections in 195 constituencies
nationwide, which have been attested nationwide to be qualitatively
better than previous elections.
19. Let me reiterate my commitment to free and fair elections.
If there is one legacy I want to leave is the enthronement of
democracy as a system of government. And for democracy to be
enthroned, elections must be free and fair. That means citizens
have a right to vote for candidates of their choice without
intimidation in any form. I have warned INEC and security agencies
to that effect.
20. We will keep insisting that votes must count. Our campaigns
will be anchored on our performance in the last four years. There
is no doubt that our party has succeeded in taking Nigeria to a new
level of enduring peace, economic growth political stability,
justice and progress. This is the new level we are promising
Nigerians, the details of which we will take to Nigerians as we
embark on our campaigns.
21. As we begin campaign in earnest, I implore our leaders to
resist being provoked, remain focused and civil in our campaigns.
Let us engage our citizens on issues and ask for reflection on the
comparative difference between 2015 and 2019 on security, economy
and corruption and abuse by those entrusted with leadership in
Nigeria.
22. As we embark on the campaign to secure mandate for the next
level, I want to acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions of
all stakeholders who have endeavored to keep our party united, and
our governance successful.
23. I urge members of this formidable team to always keep their
eyes on the ball, which is the success of our party at the polls. I
wish to appeal to all members to be guided by the enduring vision
behind the formation and sustenance of our party, which is
anchored, on sacrifice and imperative to salvage and stabilize our
great and promising nation.
24. I appeal to all our members, and especially those who are in
the campaign council, to unite and cooperate and ensure a smooth
operation. Needless to add, Directorates could co-opt on full or
part-time basic persons who could add value to our campaign and
help us to attain success.
25. To my mind, the division of responsibility is clear enough.
The Leadership that has formulated the campaign policy will
supervise its execution; the Director-General will have overall
responsibility for all aspects of the campaign, including field
operations; while the Secretary will be responsible for all
administrative and treasury-related activities of the council.
26. Even though we have only 40 days, this campaign is going to
tax us all, because we intend to touch all corners of our great and
vast country. But I must also add that, though we will all be
deeply involved, I would like to assure the nation that I will do
my part without making governance or my work suffer. Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, my co-chairman, will be fully in charge, and is going
to be on 24-hour vigil.
27. That is to say, the operational buck of this campaign stops
at his table, and I therefore urge all of us in the leadership of
this campaign, in the field operations on the campaign trail and in
the secretariat to consult with Asiwaju whenever guidance is
needed.
28. It is on this note, and in the name of God, that I now have
the pleasure of inaugurating the APC Presidential Campaign Council
2019.
Thank you all very much. God bless our country.
Speech By His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari
At The Inauguration Of 2019 APC Presidential Campaign Council At
The International Conference Centre, Abuja. Monday, 7th
January, 2019
Protocols:
I would like to welcome you all, the leaders of our party, the
All Progressives Congress, APC, to the formal inauguration of the
APC Presidential Campaign Council for the purpose of managing our
campaigns for the 2019 general elections.
2. This is a historical moment and I consider it a great
privilege to have been unanimously nominated by our party to run as
its candidate, unopposed, for a second term of office as the
president of our country Nigeria.
3. I thank God Almighty, and our hard working, long suffering,
yet resolutely committed fellow citizens, for the continued
investment of their trust in our own commitment and competence to
redirect our country and its governance towards sustainable and
wholesome development.
4. I congratulate all our party men and women across the
country, who are seeking election alongside me, as well as those
who have found it necessary to run on other political
platforms.
5. I congratulate all the participants in the party primary
process, who may not have gotten all they wanted, but who have
accepted to continue the work of ensuring a healthy political
process.
6. I urge all those with any remaining reservations, to recommit
themselves to the central task of our victory in the elections and
to the greater goal of uplifting this nation towards its manifest
destiny.
7. Having waited for all the dust raised by the nomination
exercise, and the carefully worked out reconciliation processes to
ensure some measure of healing, we are better placed to put
together an all inclusive campaign council, that will effectively
engage the entire voting public throughout the length and breadth
of our federation, and deliver a resounding victory for us at the
general elections.
8. This Presidential Campaign Council was constituted with a
conscious determination to ensure inclusiveness and excellence, and
is expected to conduct a campaign based on our modest achievements
to turn around our beleaguered nation from insecurity, stagnation
and massive abuse of scarce public resources.
9. Nigerians voted us into power in 2015 because they put trust
and confidence that we will make a great difference. We are now
building on the experience of our successful outing in the 2015
elections. It is my hope that this wonderful team put together will
anchor our campaigns to lead our party and its candidates to
victory in the general elections in a few weeks’ time.
10. A victory for us as a party is a victory for all well
meaning Nigerians, who are committed to CHANGE from an inglorious
past; where those in positions of public trust willfully took for
themselves what belongs to us all; where the security of our
citizens was second place to their acquisition of unwholesome
wealth; where our economic growth was sacrificed for the fleeting
ease of import dependency.
11. We have in the last 3 years and 6 months reversed this
downward slide that the PDP took us in its 16 years of misrule. We
have restored the territorial integrity of our nation, thanks to
our gallant men and women of our armed forces. We are
systematically engaged in all the remaining corridors of
insurgency, kidnappings, robberies, herdsmen and farmers
clashes.
12. We have reset our national values: corruption is no longer
condoned and is no longer seen as normal for public office holders.
The agencies of government are no longer equivocal in dealing with
anyone who flouts our laws.
13. The high and low are receiving jail terms, loots are being
recovered, and Nigerians are increasingly displaying the timeless
values of honesty, honour and decency. I congratulate us all for
making these changes possible.
14. Our economy has become a prudently managed enterprise. Our
resources are now working for us, as we ensure the delivery of key
national infrastructure, which were left unattended over these past
years.
15 The direct impact of our policies on improvements in roads,
railways, and power supply are evident. There is greater evidence
of economic diversification seen in growing local production of
agricultural produce and solid minerals.
16. Our government has succeeded in the last four years in
halting national drift, removing the shadow of insecurity and fear
dominating our life and reviving our economy from decline to
stability and growth. The macroeconomic health of our economy,
indicated by several measurable factors such as a stable exchange
rate, lower inflation, growing foreign reserves, has been applauded
by independent local and international rating agencies.
17. In addition, the quality of elections since 2015 has
continued to improve with declining levels of problems that have
defined elections in the past. Free, fair and credible elections
are the foundation of political stability and peace in any
nation.
18. We have insisted that votes must count and have maintained a
policy of non-interference in elections. INEC has so far since
2015, conducted fair and credible elections in 195 constituencies
nationwide, which have been attested nationwide to be qualitatively
better than previous elections.
19. Let me reiterate my commitment to free and fair elections.
If there is one legacy I want to leave is the enthronement of
democracy as a system of government. And for democracy to be
enthroned, elections must be free and fair. That means citizens
have a right to vote for candidates of their choice without
intimidation in any form. I have warned INEC and security agencies
to that effect.
20. We will keep insisting that votes must count. Our campaigns
will be anchored on our performance in the last four years. There
is no doubt that our party has succeeded in taking Nigeria to a new
level of enduring peace, economic growth political stability,
justice and progress. This is the new level we are promising
Nigerians, the details of which we will take to Nigerians as we
embark on our campaigns.
21. As we begin campaign in earnest, I implore our leaders to
resist being provoked, remain focused and civil in our campaigns.
Let us engage our citizens on issues and ask for reflection on the
comparative difference between 2015 and 2019 on security, economy
and corruption and abuse by those entrusted with leadership in
Nigeria.
22. As we embark on the campaign to secure mandate for the next
level, I want to acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions of
all stakeholders who have endeavored to keep our party united, and
our governance successful.
23. I urge members of this formidable team to always keep their
eyes on the ball, which is the success of our party at the polls. I
wish to appeal to all members to be guided by the enduring vision
behind the formation and sustenance of our party, which is
anchored, on sacrifice and imperative to salvage and stabilize our
great and promising nation.
24. I appeal to all our members, and especially those who are in
the campaign council, to unite and cooperate and ensure a smooth
operation. Needless to add, Directorates could co-opt on full or
part-time basic persons who could add value to our campaign and
help us to attain success.
25. To my mind, the division of responsibility is clear enough.
The Leadership that has formulated the campaign policy will
supervise its execution; the Director-General will have overall
responsibility for all aspects of the campaign, including field
operations; while the Secretary will be responsible for all
administrative and treasury-related activities of the council.
26. Even though we have only 40 days, this campaign is going to
tax us all, because we intend to touch all corners of our great and
vast country. But I must also add that, though we will all be
deeply involved, I would like to assure the nation that I will do
my part without making governance or my work suffer. Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, my co-chairman, will be fully in charge, and is going
to be on 24-hour vigil.
27. That is to say, the operational buck of this campaign stops
at his table, and I therefore urge all of us in the leadership of
this campaign, in the field operations on the campaign trail and in
the secretariat to consult with Asiwaju whenever guidance is
needed.
28. It is on this note, and in the name of God, that I now have
the pleasure of inaugurating the APC Presidential Campaign Council
2019.
Thank you all very much. God bless our country.
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