Sen. Shehu Accuses Govs of “Leaving Posts To Endorse Buhari” People Dying
By Adenike Lucas
Seven Governors recently announced that they had decided to endorse President Muhammadu Buhari’s bid for 2019.
Although, the President is yet to officially declare his intention, those close to the 75-year-old former Military General, are already planning for his victory come February 16, 2019.
The Governor of Kaduna, Nasir el-Rufai and his counterparts from Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje; Kogi, Yahaya Bello, Niger, Abubakar Bello; Plateau, Simon Lalong; Yobe, Ibrahim Geidam; and Adamawa, Jibrilla Bindow on Friday proposed that President Buhari should seek re-election.
They made the announcement of their discussion after a visit they made to him at Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.
Governor el-Rufai, who spoke after the meeting, said: “we believe in Mr. President, we want him to continue running the country in the right direction. People can speculate about 2019; we have no apologies.”
But, this has angered some – even those in the same ruling party as the President, who argue that it is the wrong time for campaigns to begin.
Shehu Sani, a senior lawmaker who represents Kaduna Central, while speaking on the floor of the Senate today, said, the President has not delivered his change promises and should not be thinking about another election yet.
The activist, who was imprisoned during the reign of the late General Sani Abacha, made this comment following the recent crisis in Benue State, where more than 70 people were killed.
“I think, we should tell ourselves the truth, things are not going right in this country. We are failing; people are dying in their thousands.
He said, there is “kidnapping, bloodshed and violence from Zamfara, Kaduna, Taraba, Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, Nassarrawa and so many other states.”
Worst still, Mr Sani explained that: “those that are supposed to be Chief Executives of their states are every day and every week leaving their post to go to the villa to endorse and re-endorse the president.
“Nigerian political class and the political establishment are more interested in the 2019 general elections than in the lives of our people,” he noted.
“People are more concerned about INEC timetable.”
He added that: “The security of this country is controlled by the Commander-in-Chief. He should rise to the occasion to suppress the killings on a long term scale not just for this particular incident.
“The President should wake up and protect this country!”
