Adelani Adepegba

“President Muhammadu Buhari has just officially announced his intention to seek re-election in 2019.”

This was the simple statement released by the President’s Personal Assistant on New Media Engagement, Bashir Ahmad.

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Our correspondent also reported that Buhari made the declaration on Monday morning (today) at the ongoing National Executive Committee meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The President has asked party members to grant waiver to the party’s National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, and other members of the National Working Committee who want to seek re-election.

NEC meeting, which is presently holding, is being attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara and 24 state governors.

Before now, 75-year-old President Buhari had left Nigerians guessing as to whether or not he would run for second term.

As of March 1, the All Progressives Congress had passed a vote of confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari, denying that it was not the same as endorsing the President for a second term.

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By April 1, while preparations had started among politicians for the elections, all eyes had remained on Buhari who had, until now, remained silent on whether or not he will seek re-election.

His loyalists, APC governors, as well as the chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress all expressed their support for him to go for a second term.

See the tweet announcing his intention to seek re-election in 2019:

BREAKING: President Muhammadu Buhari has just officially announced his intention to seek re-election in 2019. Details soon… — Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) April 9, 2018