Edo election: I’m building a new political culture – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari, while receiving Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, on Friday, at the Presidential Villa, said he’s intent on establishing a political culture built on integrity, stressing that he accept blame for the losses his party, the All Progressives Congress suffered at the last Governorship poll in Edo State.
Buhari made this claim while receiving Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his deputy, Philip Shaibu to express their gratitude to the president over the neutral stance in the recently concluded Gubernatorial election in Edo State.
He said that his utmost wish is to make sure that innocent citizens don’t suffer irrespective of party affiliation.
He said: “I thank you for bringing your deputy and supporters to come and see me after beating my party. I am supposed to preside over all Nigerian interests whether I like it or not, but my single desire is to make sure that innocent people don’t suffer.
“That message I got across to the Inspector General of Police, that elections must be free and fair.”
“If contestants have too much money and they decide to spray, so be it. But what I insist is, nobody should go and raise a counterforce to the government, arm heavily-drugged thugs to go and humiliate people.”
He continued, “I want Nigerians to appreciate that I respect them as Nigerians and that I am bound by the oath I have taken, that their security is in the hands of God and in the hands of the government, which I am leading.”
The septuagenarian noted that he desire to leave behind a good political leaders, despite the fact that the party has lost some states in elections.
“We have lost states across the country. Now I do not like to escape the responsibility, seeing as the leader of the country, I am also the leader of my party, that I am not leading the party very well.
“I am trying to make sure that the party is built on a civilised basis, rule of law and respect for human rights and human beings, right from polling units to local governments, to states up to Abuja and that’s what I have been insisting as my contribution to the National Working Committee and executive of the party.
“I know we are a developing country, a developing economy and trying to develop our political culture. I want the development of political culture to be based on integrity and accountability,” he stated.
