Ahead of the 2019 general elections President Muhammadu Buhari has told the 189 Support Groups that worked for his election in 2015 that their work requires a lot of sacrifices both physical and material.
President Buhari stated this Friday when he met with the National Committee of the support Groups, NCBSG, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The delegation of the Campaign groups had in attendance the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, Osita Okechukwu and the leader of the Support groups, Senator Abu Ibrahim.
He commended various support groups working for the progress of his administration, saying posterity will reward their sacrifices for the peace, progress and prosperity of the nation.
While receiving members of NCBSG led by Senator Abu Ibrahim, President Buhari assured them of the judicious use of available national resources for the betterment of all Nigerians.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina quoted the President as saying, “I am grateful for your sacrifices. Your work requires a lot of sacrifices both physical and material.
”I do not think anybody will join this organisation for material reasons.
”What you are doing is for the nation and not for me as an individual. Therefore, there is no way you can lose because what you are doing is for posterity,’’ he said.
Apprising the President of their activities, the group said they would continue to engage in the production of detailed sector-specific documentaries, programmes, policies and achievements of the administration.
In a PowerPoint presentation, the group told the President that they had a massive, diverse, grassroots base, which would strive to mobilise young Nigerians to become drivers of the CHANGE administration’s programmes and achievements.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the closed–door meeting, Senator Ibrahim said members of the National Committee of the group have had been series of meetings discussing the problems of the country and that they came to the Villa to intimate him of the outcome of their meetings.
He said, “We came here as members of the national committee of the Buhari support group. This is an amalgamation of about 189 different support groups that had worked for President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to win the 2015 general election.
“We have been holding meetings, discussing the problems of this country, Nigeria. So, we thought it was high time we meet with the President to intimate him about the activities of the group.
“We discussed with him about the plans to improve the situation in Nigeria. Mr President was very pleased with our programs.”
On whether the meeting was to convince the President to contest the 2019 Presidential election, he said that such idea was not discussed.
He said, “We only discussed the programs of the organization and problems of the group. But we didn’t go into the 2019 elections.”
He, however, said the group will encourage President Buhari to contest for the 2019 election because the groups believe in his philosophy.
Ibrahim said, “Because l believe in his philosophy and l believe he can solve the problems of this nation. He can ensure the Progress, stability and prosperity of this nation.”
Also speaking, the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan said the group will continue to support the programme of the President
Lawan said, “Well, you know it is not enough to help in elections like most of us did. It is important that we continue to support the President and his administration and as a group, across the nation, this is what we will continue to do.
“We will continue to identify with and support all the programs that this administration has set forward. And l believe that we have every justification to be happy because, the President campaigned on three major pillars of anti- corruption, fighting the insecurity across the country and revitalizing the economy of Nigeria.
“It has been a very good journey so far and also we believe that Mr. President and Nigerians have a future beyond 2019. What he has started, by the grace of God, he should be able to complete, up to 2023.”
On areas he would want the administration to improve on so that it will brighten the chances of the All Progressives Congress, APC in 2019, he said with the economic policy of the government, the future was bright for the country.
He said, “Well, we have issues we think that the administration will be dealing with very successfully, now that we have economic recovery and growth plans which encapsulates everything we need to move Nigeria forward.
‘Now that Nigerians have continued to show love for Mr. President, l believe that we are going to achieve those things that we set for ourselves at the moment.
‘I also believe that the future is bright and by the grace of God, by 2019, we would have achieved so much in this administration and Mr. President will have no option but continue the good work he has started.” – Vanguard.
