The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives
Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has said
his desire not to be hostage to anyone was the
reason behind his decision to rely on the sacrifices
by ordinary Nigerians to fund his campaign. Buhari
said this at a press briefing on the General
Muhammadu Buhari Crowd Funding Platform, in
Abuja, on Tuesday.
This is even as he announced that the sum of N54,
415,386.70 has so far been received as donations
through direct deposit and sale of cards to the
First Bank account number: 2026724405.
He expressed confidence that the financial support
he was receiving from ordinary Nigerians will see
him through the campaign period.
According to him, his supporters who floated the
platform drew inspiration from President Barrack
Obama’s campaign.
The candidate noted that when Obama first came
on the scene, he did not enjoy the support of big
corporations for a variety of reasons, but that he
was able to surmount this challenge when he
turned to ordinary American’s who shared his
dream. Buhari said, “That is why I depend on them,
we are taking this idea from what we have in the
United States when Obama came out to contest, he
was a coloured person, the big companies were not
for him and so on.
“But he knew, he had foot soldiers so when he
came with this idea, he was able to finance his
campaign without looking for money bags or
anybody influential, so he remained independent
and was hostage to nobody. And this is what I
want to achieve.”
He said the Buhari Support Organisation currently
has 82 registered support groups with over 475,
796 coordinators and total membership in the
region of 8, 492,226 across the length and breadth
of this country.
Buhari explained that the organisation intends to
use the registration and donation cards to enlist
the members of the groups as volunteer change
agents and also capture the spatial distribution of
its donours.
He said, “So far so good, we have received
donation of N54, 415, 386.70 (fifty four million four
hundred and fifteen thousand three hundred and
eighty six naira seventy kobo) only, through direct
deposit and sales of cards to the First Bank
account number 202 6724405.”
While acknowledging that Nigerians were going
through a difficult time, he expressed confidence
that they will make the requisite sacrifices to bring
about positive change.
He used the occasion to debunk the well
publicized N27.5 million loans he allegedly
obtained to pay for his nomination forms. Buhari
said, he made attempts to get the leadership of the
APC to reduce the amount payable for the forms
but did not get support.
He said, “I told them there that I cannot complain
because I happen to be a senior member of the
party. So, I put a quick call to my manager (and
said) whatever is the state of my account, please
don’t dishonor that cheque and that’s what my
manager did.
“So people developed their own stories from there
and so on. What happened is between me and my
manager. It is always confidential, from the moment
you open an account, there is something
between you and your manager.”
Also, a group of Nigerians under the auspices of
the House to House Education Initiative have
announced support for Buhari’s campaign. National
coordinator of the group, Mr. Kunle Ehinlanwo told
newsmen in Abuja, that “Our initial idea was to
support the re-election of President Goodluck
Jonathan believing that continuity will better
secure our democracy.
“But on a deeper review and careful analysis of the
situation in the country, we are not convinced with
the performance of the present
administration.
“We have consequently decided to throw our
support in favour of General Muhammadu Buhari,
the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives
Congress.”
The group said it was convinced that Buhari is a
better man for the challenging job.
Accordingly, the House-to-House Educational
Initiative pledged to henceforth campaign
vigorously to canvass massive votes for the
election of General Muhammadu Buhari and his
running mate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo ahead of the
2015 general election across the 36 states of the
Federation.
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