by James Sambo
Now we have a number one contender with President Goodluck Jonathan and it’s none other than Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), who won the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate on Thursday.
Together, the two candidates will go head to head in the 2015 general election.
Buhari first had a shot at the Presidency in 2003 against Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2007, he ran against Umaru Yar’Adua (now late).
His emergence for the fourth time as a presidential candidate was welcomed by the APC national leadership, delegates and aspirants. One of the defeated aspirants, Okorocha, described him after the official announcement of the results, as “the man capable of chasing away Jonathan in 2015.”
Now we bring you our ten best statements from both parties:
Goodluck Jonathan
1. I promise, I will not fail our great nation, Nigeria.
2. These last four years have not always been easy, but through it all, my wife has effortlessly taken care of our home.
3. We initiated Debt Relief, the Amnesty Programme, the Presidential Jobs Creation Board, Power Sector Reforms and the National Infrastructure Master-plan; the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan, the National Automobile Policy, the Freedom of Information regime, the Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company, and the Infrastructure Bank, amongst others.
4. Has change not come to our railway system?
Has change not come to our airports?
Has change not come to our roads network?
Has change not come to our agricultural sector?
Has change not come to our electoral process?
Has change not come to Almajiri education?
Is change not coming to the power sector?
What we need today is to consolidate on our gains in order to secure our future.
Our focus now must be on the future and not on the past. We have challenges but we are determined to overcome them. And this we will.
5. These last four years, my priority has been in building a strong and stable economy. We have created the enabling environment for businesses to thrive. These are essentials for securing Nigeria’s future.
6. I believe that together as a people and with God on our side, we shall defeat terror and emerge an even stronger nation.
7. Nigeria is not a land of despair. We are a people who show commitment and unity of purpose. Just look at how we stood up to the Ebola Virus Disease. We are a hard-working nation. And we will go from strength to strength.
8. Our best days are before us, not behind us. We must continue to move forward.
9. I will work to secure Nigeria’s future. I will serve with humility and moderation, with simplicity and forthrightness; with openness and inclusiveness, and with firmness and strength. I urge all Nigerians to support me, to finish what we started together.
10. Fellow citizens, what we need, more than anything else, is to secure our country’s future, by building, and not by destroying.
Muhammad Buhari:
1. Christian and Muslim, Southern and Northern, rich and poor, young and old, man and woman. We are all citizens of Nigeria. There is no dividing line among us that I care to honour. Either we advance as one or fail altogether.
2. Preserving the nation’s future is a scared obligation to all of us in this party.
3. We will return Nigeria to a position of international respect through patriotic foreign policy.
4. Shall we at home continue to live in a condition where the Power Holding Company and its successors seem only to have the power to hold us in darkness?
Shall we continue in a situation where 250 of our daughters have been abducted and the government has been unable to rescue them or provide credible information about what steps they are taking?
Shall we live in a nation where several people were trampled to death in search of jobs in a stadium and yet no one has taken responsibility for the tragedy?
Shall we live in a nation where the ranks of the poor swell and their poverty increase while the consorts of the powerful enjoy unprecedented wealth?
The lives of the poor are bled dry while those of the powerful soak in excessive abundance. My answers to these questions are “No, No, No, No!” It is time to close this demeaning chapter in our nation’s history.
4. I ask that you join this effort, not for me, but to establish a better land for all of us. I understand and accept the hard challenge ahead. When all is said and done, let it be written that Muhammadu Buhari gave his all for this nation.
5. We will choose the best Nigerians for the right jobs. Our government will be committed to the cause of the common man.
6. We will strive to attack poverty through broadly-shared economic growth and attacking corruption through impartial application of the law
7. Agriculture remains the backbone of the economy. Our government, when elected, will establish an agricultural policy that provides farmers a dignified living through improved inputs, improved extension services, access to credit and price support mechanisms.
8. We shall institute just policies that afford people the dignity of work and pay them a living wage for their sweat and toil.
9. No longer shall illegal flows of massive sums leave these shores to finance other economies. While our people languish in poverty, we effectively give financial aid to nations that is not justified. I am sick of this. It must stop. The money saved will finance jobs, health care and the provision of social safety net for the needy, weak and vulnerable of our land.10. We will be a compassionate government, for out of compassion arises the truest forms of wealth and progress a society can attain.
I weighed the two and discovered that the second has no substance. Why not tell us what you will do? You keep telling us what the other person didn’t do.
@Agada: It’s obvious u are really blind folded with so much prejudices & sentiments, be it religion or ethic. You were busy reading with bias mind. Pls read again with open mind so u can see what GMB said he will do. u may not b ready for change, Bt d generality of d masses are ready for a positive change through GMB led govt.Gbam!
Jonathan an embodiment of failed promises and lies while Buhari speaks the truth from his heart.God bless Nigeria God bless General Buhari,you will have my vote and I will campaign for you and contribute more to your campaign fund,by God’s grace you will be the next President of Nigeria.
Lookin at da nation 2day, GEJ has done nothing to our country, rather choas, if 2ruly we want change, its time.
What Jona lay claims to are true but I think their is deceit with that of Buhari he may lightly collect land for his brothers the fulani gun men in all the 36 state of the fedration becos with all the killings in the middle belt by his fulani brother he has never caution or condem them
May God save Nigerians frm pple like u
Our destiny is in our hands! So let vote wisely and do away with religion differences and move our great nation high. In terms of development we are left far behind..! To me a common darkout we can’t eradicate with all our wealth!! Hmmmmmm we pray for better nigeria ameennnnn
If truth could be told, did GEJ speaks the truth about what he mention? Is there any improvement from his administration? Did GMB speak the about him making but few rich and the poor remains poor? We have a duty in this nation that’s to be good citizens regardless of our Religion,regional,tribal and ethics. Our futur,our pride,our happiness think twice my fellow nigerians
obasanjo rule us fr eight yr nd notin t show.nw buhari rantin.dey r al d same.gudluck i kw.
lol@ confuse. .. even me I’m a victim of his confusion. . I’m campaigning for him everywhere@ work, @ home in d market…. everywhere its about buhari.. let us all rise up and vote for him.. dis is d only way we can hv him accomplish all he has said. #GMB2015
God we direct us and give us d man of honour
Almighty God will choose for us regardless of unending religious sentiment and propaganda
politics
Buhari is the answer
i thimk buhari has confuse me a lot , i will make sure the whole my families vote for him.
if only buhari would do wat he mentioned I tink I will go for him
surely without doubt he will.
Chigozie without doubt buhari ll keep to his words to dis nation he’s a man of honor and integrity. Tested and can be trusted.