General Muhammadu Buhari has said it is possible he picks a Muslim running mate if his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) agrees.
Speaking on a Channels Television interview on Sunday night, Buhari, one of the strong contenders for the presidential ticket on the platform of APC, noted that the country had produced same religion leaders in the past.
Recalling that former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon and his service chiefs were Christians and the late MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe ticket in 1993 and even his team with Idiagbon, he said nobody complained.
“Gowon filled his government with Christians, Buhari/Idiagbon were Muslims, Nigerians voted Muslims with Abiola, maybe time has changed now,” he stressed.
On the forthcoming APC presidential primaries, Buhari said “if the processes are done freely and fairly, I will accept the result if I don’t win.”
Describing the Federal Government’s fight against terror as “unsatisfactory,” he added that the insecurity gripping the nation was intolerable.
•8,000 APC delegates arrive in Lagos for national convention
NO fewer than 8,000 delegates drawn from across the country will gather in Lagos, on Wednesday, to pick the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate for the 2015 election, with the delegates expected to arrive on Tuesday and commence immediate registration.
The exercise is billed for December 10 and 11, 2014 and will hold at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.
The APC presidential aspirants are: former head of state, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari;
former Vice President Atiku Abubakar,
Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso (Kano),
Governor Rochas Owelle Okorocha and the publisher of Leadership newspapers, Mr Nda-Isa.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this in Lagos, on Sunday, while addressing newsmen.
He reiterated that the APC was poised to bring the desired change to Nigeria from the sorry state it was currently and to enable her to take her rightful position in the comity of nations.
He assured that the APC was committed to ensuring this change by presenting for election, credible and purpose-driven candidates that would drive the change at various levels of government.
Mohammed, who said that the party was going for "a convention and not coronation" to pick its presidential candidate from among the five that lined up for the race, enjoined Nigerians to join hands in realising the desired change.
This is just as he said the party's national convention was brought to Lagos after careful and thorough consideration by the convention committee headed by former Governor Kayode Fayemi.
According to him, Lagos was finally picked from among others, including Kano, Benin, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Jos, because it was favoured in terms of accessibility, accommodation for no fewer than 8,000 delegates and finally, security.
Text of the statement reads: "As you are all aware, our dear country is in a dire need of change. The All Progressives Congress (APC) is determined to bring that change.
The process of effecting that change has commenced with the effective mobilisation of Nigerians to demand the change in the 2015 general election.
"The APC as a party that is committed to seeing Nigeria leave its present sorry state and take its rightful position in the comity of nations, is set to ensure this change by presenting for election, credible and purpose-driven candidates that would drive the change at various levels of government.
"The party’s congresses and election of candidates for the various positions that commenced earlier in the month will climax in the election of the APC presidential standard- bearer in the February 2015 presidential election.
"The national convention of the party is scheduled to hold at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere , Lagos between December 10 and 11, 2014.
"No fewer than 8,000 delegates drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are expected to participate in the convention and the presidential primaries that would elect the party’s standard-bearer out of the five presidential aspirants of the party.
"The five aspirants of the party are eminent citizens with proven credentials. It is our belief that, at the exercise, one of them would emerge the presidential standard-bearer of our dear party in the coming election.
"The aspirants include: a former head of state, General Mohammadu Buhari; a former Vice President of the country, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Governor of Kano State; Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and Publisher of Leadership Newspaper Group, Sam Nda-Isaiah.The five aspirants would address the delegates, stressing their programmes before the commencement of voting, which will be by secret ballot.
"Adequate arrangements have been made by the National Convention Committee (NCC), headed by former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi for a hitch-free convention. The various sub-committees are working round the clock to ensure that the convention succeeds and become a reference point in the political history of the country.
"We are also collaborating with relevant agencies to ensure effective security, crowd control, traffic management, medical attention among others.
"And for the millions of Nigerians who may not be opportune to be at the venue of the convention, arrangements have been made for effective live coverage of the entire process by some radio and TV stations."
Source: #Tribune News.
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