Buhari: Zamfara APC crisis will be resolved

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed hope that the crisis threatening the inclusion All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in Zamfara State in the general elections will soon be over.
The President said this in Gusau during his campaign rally in the state on Sunday.
“I took an oath as the president of this country to preserve and respect the sanctity of the judiciary and I will maintain this so that the right thing can be done.
“Our party decided to go for either direct primaries, indirect primaries or consensus during the last party primaries ahead of the up coming general elections but we experienced challenges in eight states including Zamfara.
“However, since the matter is in the court now, l hope and pray that before next Saturday, the court will resolve the issue so that candidates from our party can participate in all the elections,” he said.
The president maintained that he could not hand out the party’s flag to the candidates in the state during his campaign rally as a sign of respect to the rule of law.
He recalled that he had kept his 2015 campaign promises to Nigerians all the three areas of provision of security, improvement of economy and fight against corruption, noting that all recovered stolen money would be used for infrastructure development.
While calling on the people to come out en-mass and vote for all the party’s candidates in the coming elections, the president urged them to be law abiding throughout the exercise.
Earlier, governor Abdulaziz Yari told the gathering that the party in the state had followed its case through the courts of law and pleaded with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to respect the court’s ruling and allow the party’s candidates to participate in the election.
Yari thanked the president over the visit and assured that the party would win all the seats in the coming general elections.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole also urged the leaders, members and supporters of the party to be law abiding assuring that the party would be victorious in the coming general elections.
At the presidential campaign were Ministers of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali and that of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau as well as former governors of Zamfara, Borno and Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmed Yarima, Alhaji Ali Modu and Aliyu Wammako, among others.
Meanwhile, traditional rulers in the North-West state have commended Buhari’s efforts in tackling security issues which had threatened lives and properties in the state in recent times.
The Emir of Anka and Chairman, Zamfara Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, gave the commendation when the President paid homage on the state’s traditional rulers on Sunday.
 
He noted that the security arrangement designed by the Federal Government to flush out hoodlums had assisted in reducing criminal activities in the state.
 
“We have no doubt that all the security agencies working in the state are putting in their best in the fight against terrorism as it is evident that many displaced persons have returned to their homes.
 
“The partnership existing between the state and federal governments in this fight, through the state government’s initiative of recruiting 8,500 youths as civilian JTF, has exposed the terrorists and their hideouts,’’ he said.
 
The Emir, however, appealed to the President not to relent or be distracted in his desire to take the nation to greater heights in all areas of human endeavours.
 
In his response, President Buhari thanked the traditional rulers for the warm reception accorded him and promised to sustain the fight against corruption and terrorism in the country.
 
He also promised to do his utmost best to provide more dividends of democracy to all Nigerians if re-elected on February 16.
 
Buhari told the royal fathers that he was in the state as part of his campaign tour of the nation to seek voters’ consent to rule the country for the second term.
 
Earlier, the state governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, said as a result of the security measures put in place against armed banditry, law and order had been restored to the state.
 
He said many farmers were now returning to their villages and towns to clear their farmlands in preparation for the next farming season.
 
The governor gave assurance that the state would continue to play a significant role in ensuring food sufficiency for the populace.