12 presidential candidates have dropped out of the presidential race, endorsing President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of Saturday’s presidential election, Igberetvnews reports.
Igberetvnews learnt that the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe State, Sani Inuwa, has also defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Special Adviser to the President on Media and publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the close door meeting the candidates held with the President at the State House.
According to him, the candidates have directed their supporters to vote for President Buhari on Saturday.
Adesina said, “President Muhammadu Buhari just hosted members of Forum of Presidential Candidates of Political Parties for Good Governance. There were twelve of them around and what they did was to subordinate their own ambitions to the ambition of Mr. President.
“Instead of running for presidency on Saturday, they have directed all members and their supporters to vote for Mr. President.”
The candidates and parties who endorsed Buhari are, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance APDA, Shittu Mohammed Kabiru, Independent Democrats, ID, Hon. Edozie Nnamdi Madu, Movement for Restoration and Defence of Democracy, MRDD, Danjuma Mohammed, Allied Peoples Movement, APM, Mamman Yusuf Naptali, and Save Nigeria Party, SNP, Ahmed Buhari.
Others are Mass Movement of Nigeria, MMN, Alhaji Isabi Dansaki, Advanced Congress of Democrats, ACD, Ikechukwu Nwokeafor, Yes Party, YP, Alistar Shoyode, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party, ANDP, Charles Ughalli, United Peoples Congress, UPC, Kenneth Ibe Kalu, Nigeria Element Progressives Party, NEPP, Comrade Isiaka Paul Ebili and National Democratic Liberty Party, NDLP, Robinson Apu.
Adesina said, “So these 12 former candidates declared support for Mr. President. Mr. President was quite delighted, he applauded their unselfish nature. He added that if they wanted to deny him vote, they will still continue with the elections and people in their immediate environment, will vote for them and then deny him at least those votes.
“So, the fact that they have come to pledge loyalty and have directed their supporters to vote Mr. President was a thing that President Buhari quite applauded.”
Meanwhile, the former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman in Yobe State, Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru who announced that he had dumped the party, for the ruling APC after meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, was led by Dr. Mohammed Abuza a chieftain of APC in Yobe State.
Nguru, who claimed that he doesn’t understand English language said he preferred to speak in Hausa language, expressed his loyalty and desire to return home (to APC).
He was said to be the first chairman of the APC after the merger in the state and was a member of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.
