Buhari denies claims he isn’t supporting Tinubu, campaigns for APC candidate in Gombe

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on Monday in Gombe State, canvassed votes for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

Messrs Buhari, Lawan, some APC governors and the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, were in Gombe to attend the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the state.

Mr Buhari restated his support for Mr Tinubu and his running mate Kashim Shettima, urging Nigerians to elect the APC flag bearer to come on 25 February.

He said insinuations that he was not supporting Mr Tinubu were untrue, adding that he would continue to work for Mr Tinubu’s victory towards ensuring that APC returns to power in 2023.

Represented by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, Mr Buhari said all candidates presented by the APC for various elective offices across the country had his full support.

“I am in full support of all the candidates produced by my party and also in support of the party’s presidential candidate 100 per cent.

“So, anybody who comes and tells you the contrary is not saying the truth,” he said.

He enumerated several projects executed by the federal government in Gombe State, including oil exploration, which he said was discovered about 40 years ago but was not explored till the coming of his administration.

He said his administration had implemented several projects in the state that had improved the well-being of citizens, adding that voting Mr Tinubu would help consolidate on gains so far recorded.

On his part, Mr Lawan said Messrs Tinubu and Shettima were competent enough to succeed president Mr Buhari in 2023.

Mr Lawan said the North-east region of the country had benefited a lot from the APC-led government hence, the need to vote for the party to sustain the good governance it was enjoying under the party.

He said the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for 16 years left the Kolmani Oil project unattended while Boko Haram and infrastructural challenges were not addressed, leaving the people of the North-east to suffer.

He cautioned the electorate not to allow themselves to be deceived by PDP, because “some candidates are saying they should be voted for because they are from the North-east.

“Yet they did nothing for the people of North-east when they were in power until the coming of APC.”

Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State said the APC had done a lot for Nigerians and Gombe State, hence deserved to be returned to power to protect the interests of Nigerians.

“Vote APC from top to bottom; vote Tinubu and Shettima and Inuwa Yahaya for Gombe State and we will not disappoint your confidence and trust,” he said.

Mr Adamu said the APC would continue to deliver on its mandate of developing the country, hence urged the electorate in Gombe State to vote for all candidates of the party.

On his part, Mr Tinubu, while addressing a huge crowd of supporters at the 12,000-capacity Pantami Township Stadium in Gombe, said if elected, he would ensure the prosperity of Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerians.

He appealed to voters in the state to give him their votes and also vote for all APC candidates at all levels.

Mr Tinubu, who was in Gombe to inaugurate his Presidential Campaign Council, was accompanied by Mr Shettima.

Others in attendance were the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Governors Simon Lalong of Plateau, Mai-Mala Buni of Yobe; Babagana Zulum of Borno and Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa States.