I may contest in 2015 — Buhari

[DT]

Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) retired General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday indicated that he might reconsider his earlier decision not to contest presidential election anymore.  

Buhari who gave the indication while speaking to reporters after a meeting at the party's national secretariat in Abuja said following calls by individuals and groups, he might put up for the 2015 presidential election.  

"I said it a number of times that if I didn't make it again, I will not contest in 2015, and I said I will never present myself again for elections but since then, hell was let loose. Members of my party, individuals and groups have been coming to me and a certain group came to me and asked me to rescind my decision; I told them that it was up to the party and I may withdraw my decision."

Buhari had contested the presidential election three times, first in 2003 and subsequently in 2007 and 2011. Before the 2011 election, Buhari had said he would not put up for the presidency again if he lost the election.

Buhari, who attended the meeting over the leadership crisis rocking the CPC, disowned the splinter group said to be loyal to the pioneer chairman of the party, Senator Rufai Hanga, saying their purported suspension of the incumbent National Working Committee of the party was illegal.

The group which met in Abuja recently announced the suspension the Tony Momoh-led NWC and on Wednesday inaugurated a 10-man national caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the party.

But Buhari said he was for law and order and that no one can remove the elected NEC until the expiration of their tenure.

"What is happening in the party in the last couple of weeks has been defined by the party chairman (referring to Tony Momoh) who calls them irritants.

"I don't believe in anarchy whether political or whatever, as I told you, we came in step by step and we find ourselves here. If anybody wants to be the chief executive of the 63 registered parties, they have to wait for their convention and also have to wait for the Electoral Act 2014 for the election of 2015. So, nobody can come and say he is dismissing the executives of a political party. It is not possible. Anarchy should not be allowed, this is why I am in CPC. I stand for law and order," Buhari said.

Assessing President Goodluck Jonathan's administration in the last one year, he said, "I think we are reversing. When I was in the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), the Port Harcourt refinery was producing at full capacity which was 100, 000 bpd. The other one was producing 150, 000 bpd and together they were producing 250, 000 bpd. The Warri refinery was producing a 100, 000bpd and also the Kaduna refinery was producing 100, 000bpd. We were exporting 100, 000 barrels of refined products, but now we have ended up being an importer.

"During the fuel subsidy probe, key government institutions could not come out with their figures. After the fuel subsidy probe report, the government is now shying away from implementing the recommendations in the report. I believe God will punish these corrupt people even if the government does not do it.

"I broke down when I was making my speech, and it was the only time I have broken down. It was because the country has been blessed by God, with solid mineral resources, and yet most Nigerians cannot feed well, educate their children; no access to portable drinking water and this has been so since 1999 until now."



Daily Trust