Buhari Promises To End Corruption, Insecurity …Police Confirm Attack On APC Supporters In Rivers

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd.) has identified corruption, insecurity and poor economy as the three major problems facing the country and promised to tackle them, if voted into power in February, this year.
Buhari told the mammoth crowd that witnessed his presidential flag-off campaign yesterday at the 40,000 capacity Adokiye Ameseimaka Stadium, Igwuruta-Ali in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, that the level of corruption in the country was intolerable and therefore should be checked.
The APC Presidential standard bearer assured that if voted into power, he would assemble a team of competent Nigerians to work with him to proffer solutions to the numerous problems plaguing the nation.
“The problem we are facing today is the problem of security and economy. We have gathered competent hands to manage the economy and tackle insecurity.
“The level of corruption in Nigeria is intolerable and we will make sure we succeed in fighting corruption when we get there. I wish Nigerians the best of luck and we believe in one indivisible Nigeria”, he said.
Buhari urged eligible voters to collect their permanent voters cards (PVCs) and use them to make a change in the affairs of the nation.
He said, “I appeal to you to mobilize yourselves to ensure that the end justifies the means.  I also urge you to collect your PVC to enable you vote to bring in the change we have been talking about”.
The former Head of State commended the Rivers State Governor; Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for his ability to mobilize people which, according to him, earned the governor the Director-General of the APC Presidential campaign.
“We congratulated the governor of Rivers State profusely for being the Director General of the presidential campaign organisation.
I thank you very much for accepting the responsibility to work with our great party.
“Amaechi has made enormous sacrifice. He earned it, he worked for it and I thank him for accepting it. He got it through a lot of hard work. The way Amaechi mobilizes people shows that he is the right choice”, Buhari stated.
Also speaking at the flag-off campaign, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun described General Buhari as the agent of change, assuring that the APC presidential candidate would straighten the economy and wipe out corruption and insecurity in the country.
“Take a look at him (Buhari), he is as straight in character as he is in figure. If you want corruption wiped out, if you want insecurity tackled, if you want indiscipline eradicated, vote for Buhari”, Oyegun said.
The APC National Chairman said that General Buhari and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo were carefully selected as the party’s presidential flagbearers based on their integrity.
Earlier, Governor Amaechi had told the cheering crowd that a group of persons had money to remove him from office but they did not succeed.
He also condemned yesteday’s attack on APC members from Khana and Asari-Toru Local Government Areas of the state who were on their way to the party’s presidential flag-off campaign.
Amaechi said, I thank God for this opportunity. I never knew I would be governor.
Today, I am governor by the grace of God. I have stayed in office till 2015. By this time last year, the men who thought they were God, thought I would have been out of office.
‘By this time last year, men had collect money to remove us from office, but the God we worship never allowed it to happen.
“I want to thank all of you and thank Rivers people, as accepting to make me your governor.
I may not have been the best governor you have ever seen. I am not a perfect man at all, because I am human.
“When we came, we addressed insecurity.
In the past, we could not have had our rally here. We are gradually going back to that. I hear today that members of the APC from Asari-Toru and Khana Local Government Areas were shot at on their way to this place.
“The fact that they shot you brings to the fore the argument we put forward that currently, the government in power cannot protect you and I . why were we shot at? Who bought guns for those people? Who shot at our members?”
Amaechi urged Nigerians to collect their PVCs and vote for all candidates of the APC beginning from General Buhari.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives and guber flag bearer of APC in Sokoto State, Amimu Tambuwal has defended his defection to the APC.
Until October last year, the Speaker was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but he explained at Buhari’s flag-off campaign in Port Harcourt, that he believes Nigeria deserves a better leadership.
“When I defected to APC, many people were surprised but from a very privileged position what we saw was mind boggling,” Tambuwal declared.
He insisted that Gen Buhari candidacy holds better future for Nigeria based on the records of the former military head of state, as he expressed hope that Rivers people will decide to make a good choice to move the country forward.
Hon Tambuwal said the number of supporters who attended the rally was a testimony that the party will win in the state.
The Speaker commended the Governor of Rivers State, Rt.Hon Chibuike Amaechi for making his colleagues, Hon Dakuku Adol Peterside and Hon Asita Honourable as the APC governorship flagbearers in the state.
According to him, “Rivers State will be another National Assembly and we shall support them.
“When I defected to APC, many people were surprise, how can I leave a ruling party to an opposition, on the privilege position of the House of Representative that I presided for three and half years, what we saw and still seeing is a blind government”.
“According to information available to us, we do not deserve the current government and leadership. Nigerians deserve a better leadership. As God may have it we shall have an exemplary leadership led by General Muhammed Buhari come May 29”.
The speaker noted that General Buhari has character and discipline that would restore security in the nation and wipe out corruption in the country.
According to him, “When General Buhari served as minister, we know what he did, when he served as Head of State, his purpose was very clear, today, we have insecurity and corruption in the country, with these people of Rivers State here we have known where they will cast their votes.
He commended the people of the state for their support for change, assuring that APC would end the sufferings of the people.
Other dignitaries at the campaign rally included Lagos, Ogun and Imo State governors, Babatunde Fashola, Ibwkunle Amosu and Rochas Okorocha, respectively.
Others are former FCT Minister, Mallam Nagir el-Rufai, former PDP Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbe and some past and serving National Assembly members.
In a desperate attempt to stop supporters of APC from attending the rally, some masked gunmen in the early hours of the day shot at supporters from Kaani in Khana Local Government around Saakpenwa axis.
The Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Chibuike Amaechi, in his opening speech, accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of masterminding the attack.
“They have guns, but we have God and people. We’ll confront them with our determination for change,” he said.
It was also learnt that those who sustained bullet wounds have been rushed to  undisclosed hospitals for treatment.
Comrade Celestine Akpobari, a prominent Ogoni and environmental rights activist told newsmen that “I’ m not only confirming that gunmen ambushed some Ogoni people going to APC rally in Port Harcourt, I’m telling you that about five persons sustained injuries from bullet wounds. They have been rushed to natives who specialised in bullet extraction in Ogoniland. The state government has ordered that after the extraction of the bullets they should be taken to the state owned hospital for treatment.”
Akpobari lamented that elections have not started but some people have started spilling other people’s blood.
“No politician is worth anybody’s blood. If you kill everybody, who will you govern,” he queried politicians who send people to kill their opponents.
Also, our correspondent learnt that there was a report about another attack by masked gunmen on APC supporters in their buses.
They were coming from Akuku-Toru and Degema local government areas when the gunmen opened fire on them at Okpo in Asari-Toru Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, the Rivers Police Command has confirmed that unidentified gunmen attacked All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters travelling to Port Harcourt to attend the party’s presidential campaign.
The presidential campaign flag off was held yesterday  in Port Harcourt.
DSP Muhammad Ahmad, the command’s spokesman, said in Port Harcourt that the unknown gunmen “opened fire on the APC supporters”.
Ahmad said that the supporters were travelling in group from Buguma in Asari-Turu Local Government Area of the state for the rally.
According to Ahmad, the initial report had shown that there were no casualties.
Ahmad said the command had commenced investigation into the incident, assuring that it would get to its root and bring the suspects to justice.

Boye Salau,

APC Presidential flagbearer, Muhamadu Buhari (middle) with Rivers State flagbearer, Dr Dakuku Peterside (right) at the party’s presidential campaign flag off, in Port Harcourt, yesterday. With them is presidential running mate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

Enoch Epelle & Ike Wigodo