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President Muhammadu Buhari has stressed that he is trying to make sure that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is built on a civilized basis, rule of law and respect for human rights and human beings, right from polling units to local government areas, to States up to Abuja.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports President Buhari stated this on Friday when he received the newly elected Governor of Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki, his Deputy, Philip Shaibu and a number of their supporters at the State House in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory on Friday.
Thanking Governor Obaseki for bringing his Deputy, Shaibu and his supporters to see him after defeating the APC in the just concluded Edo State Governorship election, Buhari said trying to make sure that the APC is built on a civilized basis, rule of law and respect for human rights and human beings is what he has been insisting as his contribution to the National Working Committee (NWC) and the executives of the APC.
Buhari, in his brief remarks during the visit, said he is supposed to preside over all Nigerian interests whether he likes it or not and that the message he got across to the Inspector General of Police was that elections must be free and fair and that his single desire is to make sure that innocent people don’t suffer.
The President said, “I thank you for bringing your deputy and supporters to come and see me after beating my party. I am supposed to preside over all Nigerian interests whether I like it or not, but my single desire is to make sure that innocent people don’t suffer.
“I am supposed to preside over all Nigerian interests whether I like it or not, but my single desire is to make sure that innocent people don’t suffer. That message I got across to the Inspector General of Police, that elections must be free and fair.
“If contestants have too much money and they decide to spray, so be it. But what I insist is, nobody should go and raise a counter force to the government, arm heavily-drugged thugs to go and humiliate people.
“I want Nigerians to appreciate that I respect them as Nigerians and that I am bound by the oath I have taken, that their security is in the hands of God and in the hands of the government, which I am leading.
“I am trying to make sure that the party is built on a civilised basis, rule of law and respect for human rights and human beings, right from polling units to [LGAs], to States up to Abuja and that’s what I have been insisting as my contribution to the NWC and executive of the party.
“I know we are a developing country, a developing economy and trying to develop our political culture. I want the development of political culture to be based on integrity and accountability. Let people work very hard and earn what they are looking for through their hard work and through fair competition”.
While it seemed the President was trying to woo the Edo State Governor back to the APC, Governor Obaseki had said he cannot return to the party after he defected to seek re-election in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Obaseki, who won re-election last Saturday on the platform of the PDP after defeating Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC, shortly after the meeting with the President, said it would be immoral for him to return to APC.
Responding to questions from newsmen after meeting Buhari, he affirmed that leaving the PDP for the APC goes against Buhari’s gospel of integrity.
He also said he would not replace Oshiomhole as the new godfather of Edo politics.
Also, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State had said the Edo governor was free to join any party he chose to, but said on moral grounds, Obaseki would not take such a decision because he was given an umbrella when he was left in the cold.