I Will Win 2019 Presidential Elections Without Tinubu’s Support - Buhari Declares....

The Presidency, has foreclosed all speculations, as to whether or not President Muhammadu Buhari, intends to run for a second term in office.

The Senior Special Adviser to the President, on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, more or less made the confirmation on Monday, November 21, in a statement.

His statement according to a highly placed Presidential source, is aimed at the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu.

Although, Shehu maintained that he was reacting to a statement made by a former member of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Alhaji Buba Galadima, who had asserted that Buhari would be abandoned by the electorates, if he decides to seek re-election in 2019.

Shehu, however, dismissed his suggestions that the masses will desert President Buhari in 2019, as unfounded, and utterly ridiculous.

Shehu, also asserted that ordinary Nigerians are the backbone of Buhari’s mandate, and the only reason he ran for the office, is to protect them against the rapacious merchants of corruption, who have held Nigeria back for decades.

The Presidential Spokesman, said Galadima’s calculation, and prediction, is utterly confused, and misleading, and that the masses are solidly behind Buhari, because he is not stealing their money, and their future.

According to him, the President’s enormous goodwill remains ever strong, because the people are convinced the President is acting in their best interest, despite the temporary unintended consequences of reforms.

“President Muhammadu Buhari, is far from isolation. He enjoys a very strategic relationship with ordinary Nigerians. This relationship is as solid as the proverbial rock. If Buba Galadima thinks that because he has no role, and no job in this government, that means the President is isolated, he is putting himself up to ridicule”, he asserted.

According to him, Galadima cannot speak for the masses, as far as their steadfast loyalty to Buhari is concerned. While acknowledging that Galadima was entitled to advance his own political agenda, Shehu said Galadima did not have the right to decide for ordinary voters.

Shehu, further recalled, that Galadima’s disagreement with President Buhari, was based on principle, and explained that Buhari is committed to level playing field, and would not want anyone to link his name to injustice.

The Presidential Media Aide, added that Galadima’s disagreement with Buhari, started in 2011, when a group within the party, orchestrated an organisational mess, by which the CPC embarked on the imposition, and substitution of candidates for cash payments, at the expense of those duly and democratically elected.

He said Buhari was embarrassed by the incidents, and complaints about the imposition and substitution of candidates, adding that, he as a democrat, would not suppress the will of the people, to please selfish interests.

“Let Buba Galadima go to his constituency, stand for election, and see what will happens to him”, Shehu concluded.