History made as 5000 Abuja Families March for Buhari Re-election

By Dansu Peter

No fewer than 5,000 families, comprising mostly of women, stormed the streets of Abuja, Nigeria's  capital city, taking their fanatic support to the next level as they registered their total allegiances for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari come February 2019.

This is the first of its kind as families from different parts of the country laid aside ethnic and religious cleavages for a common national goal.

The passionate group, who termed the peaceful mini-walk ‘Advocacy Crusade March for the re-election of President Buhari’ trekked from AYA to the Unity Fountain and later the presidential villa on Wednesday.

The families were heard chanting ‘Sai Baba' with banners and photos of the president alongside his vice Yemi Osinbajo.

Unsurprisingly, though, the group garnered massive backing from onlookers with some even abandoning their personal business to join the walk.

In her address, the Convener,  Ajibola Princess reckoned the country has suffered all manner of malaises in the past ranging from consuming insecurity, shameful depravities and underdevelopment.

Under the leadership of president Buhari, however, there's been a paradigm shift.

According to Mrs Ajibola, the incumbent is the only candidate with the morals, courage and foresight to lead the country unlike his direct rivals she described as “contests freaks”.

“The office of the President of Nigeria is very important in defining the tone of leadership and enhancing good governance down the lower rungs of leadership. So, we cannot afford to be passive onlookers in deciding who occupies the apex leadership office in the land,” she began.

“The ‘5,000 Families For Buhari 2019,’ is drawn across Nigeria. It is not subject to regional, religious, or ethnic biases or persuasions, but women who are united by a common agenda and target. We are concerned about the future and progress of Nigeria as well as the prosperity of our children, yet unborn.

“We have seen the resurgence of perpetual presidential contests freaks, who have invaded the democratic space seeking our mandate to become Nigeria’s President this year.     

“We do not find such candidates today, under whatever banner as trustworthy choices to lead Nigeria. They are not alternative   presidential candidates, credible enough to challenge the retention of the incumbent President.

Mrs Ajibola went a step further to itemize some of the amiable achievements of the president.

“ President Buhari’s remarkable successes in counter- terrorism and curtailing the menace of Boko Haram, especially in Northeast Nigeria have restored substantial peace and security. It could have been worse without him on the throne, “ she analysed.

“ It has reunited family members who were taken hostage by insurgents and  also, vacated thousands of IDPs, mostly women and children housed in camps across the region. They have been resettled in their ancestral homes. It has brought solace and relief to numerous families in the region.

“ Also, Mr. President has replicated similar feat in the previously raging armed banditry attacks in the Northwest, which dislodged whole families and communities from their homesteads. And nothing brings sorrow to a family, particularly, a mother more than to experience the horror of a family member kidnapped for ransom or any other reason.  The arrest and trial of the shielded billionaire kidnapper kingpin, has tamed this scourge and brought respite to hundreds of thousands of families susceptible to the evil of kidnappers.

“ Before Buhari’s presidency,  Abuja, the  Federal Capital Territory  (FCT) was a danger zone  for insurgents from Nyanya to any part of the mega city.  Terrorists’ bomb explosions became an everyday menu for Abuja residents, killing, maiming and destroying properties. Several families, which desired to live and operate in Abuja were forced to relocate to other safer places in the country because of insecurity.

“ President Buhari’s Social Investment Programme (N-Power jobs) are substantially targeted at women and the family. We can attest that the National School Feeding Programme  has given  many families in Nigeria  an opportunity to re-start life. It has restored their confidence of living in a country, they  are all bona fide beneficiaries of its commonwealth.

“ Also, worthy of mention is President Buhari’s “Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme.” The scheme has disbursed over 264,269 loans to 4,822 societies across Nigeria. And majority of the beneficiaries are women. This is in addition to the Micro credit loans to millions of Nigerian artisans, traders and market men and women; just like the conditional cash transfers to the poorest and most vulnerable households in the country. “