4 million-member youth group contributes N1,000 each to buy form for Buhari’s re-election

… Imo monarchs endorse Buhari for 2019

Some Nigerian youths under the Democratic Youth Congress (DYC) have concluded plans to purchase nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid.

The national chairman of DYC, Kassim Muhammed Kassim, a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, said the group with about four million registered members, had unanimously agreed to mobilize and contribute a thousand naira each to sponsor and buy the form for the president.

He said those criticizing the president’s decision to re-contest in 2019 should rather channel their grievances towards the youths for forcing the president to seek re-election.

He said the group had earlier approached the court to compel the president to seek re-election because of the giant strides of his administration.

Kassim said it was in view of the president’s resolve to seek re-election that the group further approached the court to discontinue the suit because it had already been overtaken by events.

Earlier, DYC’s counsel, Ismail Zubairu, had told the court that the plaintiff had on April 17 filed a notice of discontinuance and no response had been received from the defendants. He therefore applied for the case to be struck out.

The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, accordingly struck out the case.

Imo monarchs endorse Buhari for 2019

Ahead of 2019 presidential election, over 200 Southeast traditional rulers from Imo State, on Wednesday, backed President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 re-election bid. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari.

The monarchs reached the decision in a meeting, which took place at Okigwe Local Government Area in the state which was contained in a communique read by His Royal Majesty, Eze Oliver Ohanwe.

But in what seemed like one of their reasons for supporting Buhari, the monarchs asked the president to support the Igbo to produce the next president of Nigeria in 2023.

The communique read: “We thank the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for his selfless and dedicated service to the nation, his commitment to ensure common good for all and his unwavering drive for the peace, unity and progress of the country.

“We are completely convinced that the policies and templates of development already laid down by the president in the last three years was based on critical thinking, careful and strategic planning and would catalyse rapid national development in his second term.

“The president was essentially elected on the firm promise to tackle corruption and security.

“This administration has given a lot of fillip to these noble agenda. With the president’s grit and strategic support to the relevant institutions, corruption in our national life has practically reduced by more than 75 per cent.

“He has justified the huge magnitude of the mandate freely given to him in 2015 which cut across ethnic, religious and even partisan lines, having a clear message which is no escape from change and has  restored the dignity of our country.

“Buhari has put the economy on the part of sustainable growth, revitalized our ailing institutions and strengthened resolve and determination to ensure that change has really come.”

“Were the entire members of the Council of Ndi Eze, with our citizens, alongside the overwhelming majority of Nigerians completely align ourselves with the President’s patriotic response to the various calls to seek re-election in 2019.

“We assure Mr. of our unalloyed support. We stand with him. That finally, we urge Mr. President to use his good will and reach to support the Southeast region to produce the next President of Nigeria after completing his second tenure in 2023.”