Osinbajo urges Southwest Hausa community to vote for Buhari

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday solicited support of the Hausa community in the Southwest for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates in the zone.

Osinbajo, who made the plea at a Town Hall Meeting with the Community in Ikeja, Lagos State, said that some former leaders did not like Buhari because of his stand against corruption.

Our correspondent reports that Arewa community leaders, drawn from Lagos State and other Southwest states, were present at the meeting.

“What we are hoping to see on Saturday is an affirmation, a vote for a man who has proven through the years to be a man of truth and honesty.

“The problem of our country is not that we don’t have enough money, the problem is that of leaders that we put there, many of them stole the money meant for the people.

“We are able to do more than even when they (previous administrations) are even earning more because the President is not a thief. Even his worst enemies, those who hate him, know that he is a man of truth.

“They know he is a man who will not steal the money of the people,” the VP said.

According to Osinbajo, it is unfortunate that the country has become a place where people who are in power believe that the country’s money belong to them and their friends.

He said that the stealing ended when Buhari became the President and that the government had achieved a lot with meagre revenue because of commitment to use public funds to better the lives of citizens.

Osinbajo said that public funds should be used for infratructure like roads, power, schools, hospitals and that was what Buhari was committed to which some corrupt people did not like.

He added: “Let us not have any doubt in our minds, the battle for power in this country is the battle between good and evil.

“There are some people who want to take the money of the country, there are some who want to use it for good.

“This is not a religious matter, you find thieves among the Christians, thieves among Muslims; you will find honest men among Christians, we find honest men among Muslims.

“I know one Muslim, who is an honest man, I know many, but one is Muhammadu Buhari. He is an honest man. Everybody, even his enemies know, he is an honest man.

“Let us not doubt in our mind at all, this next level that we are talking about by the Grace of God, the people of this country will begin to enjoy the fruits of all the sacrifice they have made in the last four years.”

He said that the first term of the President was used to build the foundation, saying that remarkable achievements had been made on railway, power, road and other infrastructure.

Osinbajo recalled that Buhari’s achievements as a former Head of State and petroleum minister were still there for all to see, saying that three of the four nation’s refineries were built by Buhari with 3500 k/m of pipelines.

“This kind of man deserves a second term. If he leads this country for another four years, this country will change completely. It will be impossible for thieves to come back to this country.

“This election is about the future of the country, it is about the future of our own children and our own future. We must not allow anybody to do anything that will upset where our country is going.

“Muhammadu Buhari has done a term now by May it will be four years; In another four years I promise you by the Grace of God, this country will be a different place, it will be a country that all of us will be proud of,” he said.

The vice president, who said that he didn’t doubt the sincerity of the Hausa leaders to vote, charged them to mobilise the Arewa community to come out en mass to vote.

Alhaji Ahmed Kabiru, the Chairman, Arewa Community in Lagos State who commended Osinbajo for recognition of the community, said that Buhari remained a sell-able product.

“The principal thing I am selling is President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. I have to sell it to this audience.

“On behalf of the entire Arewa community across the nooks and crannies of the South West Nigeria, I want to reassure you of our support, our unflinching support for APC.

“We are going to vote APC from the very top to the lowest position. I assure you, we are going to do this,” he said.

He said that the group had been significant during elections and had been contributing to the success and development of APC in the state, urging Osinbajo not to forget the Arewa community.

Alhaji Sadiq Babangida, Hausa Leader in Akure, said that the community would not change its decision to support APC, adding that the country needed honest and sincere leaders.

At the meeting were Alhaji Umar Abdullahi, Chairman, Hausa Community, Ondo State; Alhaji Ado Suaibu, the National President, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum and Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan, Sarkin Hausawa, Abeokuta.