Former presidential candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Muhammadu Buhari, has said his presidential project has been the most underfunded in the history of general elections in the country.
Buhari was the presidential candidates of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2003 and 2007 respectively.
He was equally the candidate of the defunct CPC in the 2011 presidential election.
Addressing his loyalists and All Peoples Congress (APC) faithful yesterday in Abuja under the aegis of Buhari Support Group, the national leader of APC who disclosed that he would soon make a formal declaration for the APC presidential ticket, thanked his supporters for their sustained interest in his presidential ambition despite his lean resources.
His words: “You have been volunteering from the beginning by giving your all to us. Our project is poor compared to all others. The only capital we have is the trust of the people which they have on their own accord given to us. You are doing everything and nobody is paying you.
“It is as Sherry Anderson has said, ‘Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless’.
“The very act of volunteering is the ultimate exercise in a democracy: while you vote in elections only once in a year, when you volunteer, you are voting everyday about the kind of government we want to have, the type of leaders we want to see and the kind of circumstances we wish to live in.
“I am very proud of you and thankful for all the support you have demonstrated.
“Whatever we have been able to do, the credit belongs to you. We may be the most underfunded project in the history of this country, but by the grace of God and your support, we are the greatest crowd puller in the nation today; and the credit for all this goes to you for being there on the scene of the struggle.
“We don’t have anything to offer you by way of payback for your massive and unprecedented support, except our own commitment to be with you at all times and to preserve, protect and discharge the trust you will put in our hands.”
Buhari, who called on his supporters to galvanise support for him ahead of the APC presidential convention, urged them not to abandon the main opposition party in the country in the event that he lost out in the race.
“With your support, I intend to offer myself for the position of the president of the country on the platform of our great party, APC.
“I intend to make a formal announcement soon and I hope, I can count on your continuing support and sacrifice.
“However, I would like to point out to you that, to be more meaningful, your support must extend beyond my person and always be available to the party and all those the party put forward because it is the party that is the platform.
“You must, at all times, remember that the APC is a party with several qualified people for each and all the positions that will be contested, including that of the president.
“It is the primaries that will determine who eventually represents the party in which capacity. If I get the party nomination, I expect you will redouble your effort and commitment until we clinch the presidency.
“ But in the event that it happens to be one of the other aspirants who wins, I will expect you as good party men to extend to him your total support. We are a united party, and united we shall remain, because our strength lies in our unity.”
Daily Sun checks revealed that other contenders for the APC presidential ticket are former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

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