Buhari’s Emotional Speech At APCNational Convention

The third national convention and
presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress went under way
in the early hours of Thursday at the Teslim
Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Five aspirants of the party, who include a
former Head of State, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; a former Vice-
President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu
Kwankwaso, publisher of Leadership newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, and
Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Although known to be taciturn, Buhari sent
the crowd of delegates and party members
agog with his speech delivered in less than
10 minutes.
He said, "I have always served Nigeria to
the best of my ability. I have always tried
to give more to the nation than it has given
me. This is the principle of service that has
guided my public life. Thus, I am not a rich person. I can't give you
a pocketful of dollars or naira to purchase your support.
Even if I could, I would not do so. The fate of this nation is not up for sale.
"What I will give you, and this nation is all of my strength,
commitment, sweat and toil in the service of the people. What I can
give you is my all.
"I do not intend to rule Nigeria. I want
to democratically govern it with your help.
I seek a Nigeria where Christians and Muslims may practise their
faiths in peace and security; a Nigeria that is just and
where corruption no longer trespasses into
our institutions and national behavior and a
Nigeria where our diversity could be used
for our national prosperity.
"Nigeria is our home. Let us now turn it into the great nation we know
it can and should be."
Buhari's speech drew a loud ovation from
the crowd, some of who gave him a standing ovation.
In what could pass for where the sympathy
of the governors and the APC national
leadership lies, the VIP section, where the
party's past and current national chairmen,
Chief Bisi Akande and Chief John
Odigie-Oyegun, respectively sat went
agog after Buhari made his famous speech.
When called to make his speech, Okorocha,
who said he has the capability to lead the
country, added that he remained the youngest of the contestants and
thus should be giving the votes to lead the party in next year's
general election.
But the crowd beside the VIP section busted into chants in Yoruba, saying
"Arugbo la fe, arugbo la fe," meaning "we
want an old man."
Specifically, Okorocha had told the crowd
that Buhari is above 70 years old, even as
he said Atiku is 63 while he gave the age of Nda-Isaiah as 58 and that
of Kwnkwaso as 58, saying that he is only 52.
Okorocha said, "Buhari is 73, Atiku is 68, Nda-Isiaih is 58, Kwankwaso is 58,
Obama is 53, Rochas is only 52 years old.
Nigeria of today is different of Nigeria of
the 60s, I offer myself to run for the exalted office of the president
in order to save the suffering masses."
Atiku said he had been in the vanguard against
bad governance and military dictatorship,
recalling how state agents stormed his house and tied up his son and
killed six policemen
during an attack on his home in Adamawa
during the military era.
He said, "Nigerians are tired to see Nigerians
slaughtered everyday and the government is
unable to do anything about it. Nigerians want
change because they pay
for electricity and get darkness. Nigerians
are tired of the dangerous PDP mathematics,
where seven is greater than 20 and six is
greater than 19, where judgesare beating up
thugs, where the Speaker and parliament
members are tear gassed.
"They are tired of where our police force and
army now butt of jokes in beer parlours and
are being compared to hunters; where our
roads are death traps.
This is the reason why Nigerians want change,
we can give Nigerians the change it deserves.
You people came out because you believe in
change, you believe in a nation bound in
freedom, peace and unity, you believe that our Nation can serve as a
leader in Africa."