Nigerians have started to express mixed reactions to President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration of second term bid.
To certain Nigerians, it is a welcome development but to others especially members of the opposition political parties who criticised the move said the president would not find it easy going for second term.
According to reports, Sidi Ali, Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State, said, “Buhari has all it takes to re-contest and the decision is a welcome development.
“He is governing well and has the capacity to continue with the good work, and I am sure more good transformations will happen in the country, if he is re-elected.”
Kasimu Chiyama, Chairman Dadin Kowa Youth Association in Kwannawa, Sokoto state expressed joy over the announcement.
“We will support him fully because he is the only candidate that has been good to Nigerians,” he said.
A former Governor of Kaduna State and immediate past national caretaker chairman of People Democratic Party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration of interest to contest the 2019 residential election was “no news” to Nigerians.
He said that, indeed, as far as the Peoples Democratic Party was concerned, expectations have always been that Buhari will run; maintaining that nothing would change the party’s resolve to “do the needful.”
Some of the beneficiaries of the Federal government on-going N-Power programme who spoke with our correspondent in Abuja expressed excitement over President Buhari’s re-election bid saying his administration has impacted their lives positively,prayed God to continue to guide him and pledged their full supports for his re-election move.
They noted that though President Buhari is facing alot of frustration and sabotage due to his anti corruption Crusade ,well meaning Nigerians should support him to fix the country and bridge the wide gap between the rich and the poor adding that PMB means well for Nigerians,
However, Samson Samuel, a student, Abibah Fache, a teacher and Anthony Kusimo, self employed among other Nigerians faulted the decision, saying the president should consider his age and health status and allow younger Nigerian to rule.
They pointed out that apart from age factor, Buhari’s administration has brought untold hardship to Nigerians saying the ‘change’ promised has not been fulfilled.
You would recall that President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday who declared his second term bid in 2019 said the decision was based on the clamour by Nigerians.
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said this at a closed-door meeting of the National Executive Council of the ruling All Progressives Congress, held at the party’s headquarters in Abuja.