The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the February 14 election, Maj. Gen Muhammadu Buhari, (retd.), on Friday said Nigerian troops engaged in the campaign against the Boko Haram insurgents were demoralised because they were not adequately equipped for combat operations.
Buhari spoke at a campaign rally at the Ibrahim Babangida Square in Makurdi, Benue State.
The former military Head of State expressed reservations that soldiers were granting interviews to foreign media organisations to complain about lack of weapons when the Federal Government had budgeted trillions for security.
He wondered how demoralised and poorly equipped soldiers would be expected to be patriotic in the face of hostile fire.
Noting that he had nothing new to say but would restate his message on insecurity, unemployment and corruption, Buhari assured the people that he would lift the morale of the troops.
“The morale of our military and police and other security agencies is very low – otherwise, how can our soldiers go and give interviews to foreign press that they cannot fight Boko Haram because they have no weapons? Trillions have been budgeted for security, yet the insurgents are chasing our soldiers across the desert.
“Our soldiers are not equipped, yet they are told to be patriotic,” Buhari said.
The APC presidential candidate also expressed concerns at the level of unemployment and corruption in the country.
According to Buhari, 60 per cent of Nigerians are jobless.
“If we can stop corruption, the money realised would be used to provide infrastructure, employment, goods and services,” he added.
Buhari identified mining and agriculture as areas that would command attention in his administration in order to provide jobs.
“APC is for security, employment, accountability and discipline – come 14th of February, God willing, we are going to do that,” he said.
His running mate, the APC vice presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who led the crowd in singing a chorus – Jesus is the winner – said Buhari had been elected by God to spearhead the change that was coming to Nigeria.
Osinbajo also said God wants change in the country.
Addressing the crowd, he said, “The change that is coming is a change that God himself wants for this land.
“The Lord wants Nigeria to be a land where there will be justice; where people will be paid their salaries; where there will be hospitals – that is the type of change that is coming on February 14.
“He (Buhari) is the man that has been purposed and planned for this season.”
Osinbajo urged voters to resist any attempt to rig the election, saying, “On February 14, go to the polling booths and vote for General Muhammadu Buhari. After voting, stay there and wait – don’t allow the devil to take your votes.”
The Director General of the Buhari campaign organisation and Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Audu Ogbeh, also urged the voters to wait behind at the polling centers, after voting, to protect their votes.
Another former National Chairman of the PDP and a serving Senator, Barnabas Gemade, called for courage on the election day.
“Don’t be scared of so many people who have been trained in militia,” he advised, noting that the alleged trained militia could not do anything.
Former Kwara State Governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, noted that although Benue State had stood by the PDP in the past, “it is time to let them (PDP) know that you cannot be taken for granted.”
Courtesy:Punch
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