The Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors’ Network, a group, on Wednesday in Abuja picked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for President Muhammadu Buhari to re-contest the presidency in 2019.
This made Buhari the first aspirant to pick the nomination form as the APC commenced sales of the forms to aspirants for the 2019 general elections.
Buhari had in April declared his intention to seek re-election at the APC National Executive Committee (NEC).
The group which paid a total of N45 million to obtain the forms, was received by the Mr Adams Oshiomohle, the APC National Chairman in Abuja.
Speaking on why the group decided to purchase the forms on behalf of the President, its National Co-coordinator, Sunnsi Musa, said the President was not multi-millionaire cash wise.
“But he has millions of supporters who are always ready to come together to pay for his nomination form.
“It is my singular honour and rare privilege to present to you a cheque of N45 million as payment for the expression of interest and nomination forms for President Muhammadu Buhari, ”he said.
According Musa, the group embarks on the project based on the recognition that the President has started laying a foundation for a better Nigeria.
The National Co-ordinator said that there was need to consolidate on the gains so far made by the present administration in the country.
“We have no doubt that Mr President has both in action an word been working to lay a foundation for a greater and prosperous nation that our generation and future generation will be proud of.
“Under his administration, Nigeria has become a country sought after for investments in the world and has assumed its leadership role in not just Africa but also the world.
“Today, Nigeria‘s moribund infrastructure is being revived. There is no state in Nigeria that does not have several major Federal Government infrastructure projects, either completed or being executed under President Buhari.
“We have a stable and steadily growing economy that is departing from the monotonic oil dependence. Agriculture is now an attractive venture as farmers are becoming multi-millionaires.
“Nigeria is now an exporter of agricultural products as opposed to what it was three years ago,“ he said.
He noted that for the first time since the return of democracy, Nigerians had a president who could beat his chest and state that he had never stolen government funds.
According to Musa, Buhari is not among presidents who meet at night to strike shady personal deals.
He added that the President was poised to ensure that every agreement entered into by Nigeria was in the interest of the people and the country and its unborn generations.
This he noted had indeed boosted the confidence of investors into the country and the inflow of direct foreign investment into the country.
“Looted funds are being recovered and ploughed back to develop our country deficit infrastructure.
“Almost a million farmers under the Anchor Borrowers Programme are benefiting from low interest loans and 500, 000 previously unemployed graduates are now employed under the NPower Scheme.”
He also noted that N400, 000 extremely poor families were already receiving N5, 000 monthly stipend while over N8 million children were being fed daily in public schools across the country as promised by the Buhari-led administration.
“Today, and for the first time in our history, we have a government that is honest and sincere in investing in the poor, the masses and the underprivileged.”
Musa maintained that his group could not fold its hands and watch while the foundation laid by the Buhari administration would be destroyed by some other persons.
“We cannot afford to destroy the future of our children. The foundation, laid by President Muhammadu Buhari, must be reinforced.
“It is for this reason, Mr Chairman, that we have decided to pull our meagre resources together to purchase the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for President Buhari.
He has presented himself to our party members to be chosen as their candidate for the 2019 general elections.
Oshiomhole, while receiving the group, thanked its members for their gesture and for believing in President Buhari and the APC administration.
The group paid the mandatory N45 million for the expression of interest and the nomination form.
The sum of N40 million is the form and the N5 million for the expression of interest.
The cheque was received by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in Abuja.
By NAN.