₦airaland Forum

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday formally submitted his candidacy to stand for a second term of office at elections in February next year.

The 75-year-old leader travelled to the headquarters of his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party in the capital Abuja to hand in his nomination form. He was accompanied by state governors, government ministers and party supporters.

He said afterwards he was seeking the nomination “with all humility, sense of responsibility and an unquestionable desire to serve and protect the interest of all Nigerians”.

Well-wishers and supporters clubbed together to pay the 45 million naira ($125,000, 108,000 euros) for the nomination form.

“I assure them and the rest of Nigerians that if nominated and if elected, I shall continue to serve you to the best of my ability,” Buhari said.

Former military ruler Buhari in 2015 became the first opposition candidate in Nigerian history to defeat a sitting president at the polls.

He was elected in the landmark election on a platform to improve security, tackle endemic corruption and boost the economy.

But despite Boko Haram Islamists remaining a threat to security, his anti-corruption campaign is making slow progress while the nation recovers from recession.

There have been questions, too, about Buhari’s fitness to govern after he spent months being treated for an undisclosed illness in London last year.

Buhari told his supporters to guard against complacency “but to prepare, strategise and win 2019 elections”.

Jokerman:
Arabian fools... it's not like they even know what they are doing......

cassidy1996:
bin Laden's cousin's