Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The Deputy Whip of the Senate, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, has said there was no face-off between President Muhammadu Buhari and the presidential candidate of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, contrary to insinuations in certain quarters.
Abdullahi, who is representing Niger North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, stated this yesterday at the Commissioning of the New Bussa Township Stadium, in Niger State.
The New Bussa Township Stadium, which was remodelled and rehabilitated by the Senator was named after him for executing it as part of the constituency projects.
The Senator, who is also the National Coordinator of Project 774 for Tinubu/Shettima 2023, said Buhari was doing everything possible to ensure that Tinubu emerged president through a credible election.
He said the President was aware that Tinubu remained the best candidate to sustain the laudable legacy projects and policies he had undertaken in the last seven and half years.
Tinubu last week in Abeokuta raised serious concerns that the current scarcity of the new naira notes and fuel crisis in the country were calculated attempts to scuttle his presidential ambition.
But the Senator, who spoke with journalists in New Bussa said, “Our party is intact, we are working very hard to deliver our party because of the good work our father has been doing.”
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Abdullahi said, “Buhari is aware, and very patriotically so, that he needs his legacy projects to be sustained. That is why he said as a democrat, he would allow the democratic process to take place, that is leadership and that is how our presidential candidate emerged.
“As we are going to the national election, we believe as the President of this country, his duty is to make sure there is credible election. We are asked for credible election, and we are going to anchor our victory on the credible election.”
He said the 10-day extension granted by the Central Bank of Nigeria to enable citizens to change their old naira notes to new ones showed that President Buhari listens to the cry of the people.
He said, “I am a member of the National Assembly, and you are aware in the National Assembly we had moved a motion to ask for an extension so is there any conflict in his concern? The concern we are showing is about Nigerians.
“I am not angry. I believe it’s a phase and it’s a sacrifice we must all make to make our country better. What we are saying is that it should be done with a human face. And our President is a listening president, he has heard the cry of Nigerians and there is an extension.
“I urge all Nigerians to use the extended period to do the needful. Let them not wait until the last day again, then they come out in large numbers to start pleading for another extension.
“Mr President is not in charge of fuel it is Nigerians; Nigerians are the fuel marketers. NNPC has said there is fuel. It doesn’t matter. Even if he is the minister of petroleum and he has delegated authority.”
*Urges Nigerians to keep hope alive over LG autonomy
The Principal Officer of the Senate also assured Nigerians that all hopes were not lost yet on the local government autonomy despite its rejection by many state Assemblies.
He said, “Local Government Autonomy. I’m still very hopeful that local government authority should be given.
“It is not a rejection yet because we still have some states that have not returned. Out of the 27 that have returned, some accepted, and out of the outstanding ones, we may make the number.
“I am calling on Nigerians to tell all their state houses of assembly, those that have not returned to do the needful. Because when we develop the LG, then we are developing Nigeria.”
