I Met, Called Oshiomhole Almost Everyday to Ensure Free, Fair Primaries

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday night in Abuja disclosed that he regularly met and called the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, during the primaries of the party to ensure that internal democracy was respected in the conduct of the primary election.

Buhari, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser to Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, made the disclosure at a dinner with APC’s Aspirants’ Forum in the Presidential Villa.

The statement said Buhari told the aspirants that the primary motivation for election contest should be the desire to improve situations in the country and not for pecuniary reasons.

It also said the president urged the aspirants who lost out in the primaries to remain faithful to the country and uphold the tenets of integrity, pleading that there would yet be more opportunities for them to serve along the way.

Adesina also said Buhari who told the aspirants that “those who mismanaged the resources of the country are still very much around with incredible wealth,” warned them to be vigilant and circumspect in making choices, adding that the future would only be salvaged by those who love the country.

“I spoke with the APC party chairman almost every other day, at least for an hour during the primaries. And sometimes, we met for two and half hours to ensure internal democracy during the primaries,’’ the president was quoted as saying.

Adesina also said the president pointed out that in spite of all efforts to appease everyone and give them a chance at the polls, some aspirants were still not treated fairly.

Nevertheless, the statement said Buhari urged the politicians “to stay faithful if your objective is to serve the country,” reminding them that he “came back to power as a civilian to convince Nigerians to make sacrifices which the country needs now for a better future.”