President Muhammadu Buhari has again drummed support for the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, saying the candidate is his long term ally.

Speaking at the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and at the APC campaign rally in Sokoto on Thursday, President Buhari said Tinubu had demonstrated capacity and would do well if elected to lead the country.

“He understands Nigeria very well and he is ever supportive of people wherever they may have come from in Nigeria.

“I have gone with him to Nasarawa and Katsina and I am here with him today. I will also go with him to any other place. He is the candidate of our party. He emerged from a clearly transparent primary election. We therefore have to follow him as the flagbearer of the party,” Buhari said.

Appealing to the Sultan for support, the President said: “We are here to seek support and help. I am sure we will get the needed help.”

President Buhari further expressed his appreciation to the APC supporters for the rousing reception, defying the scorching sun to attend the event.

READ ALSO: Buhari sets up transition council for May 29 handover

Presenting Tinubu to the electorate, Buhari urged them to support him and vote for the APC presidential flag-bearer in the 2023 general election.

Speaking at the palace and the rally, Tinubu expressed appreciation to the leaders and people of Sokoto State for the warm reception, promising to acquit himself creditably if elected as president.

Describing Sokoto as a home for him, the APC presidential candidate appealed for support, urging the electorate to disregard the antics of other candidates.

“In 2015, the new leaders came to sweep the dirt away with a broom. But the dirt is still left on the ground. We said we need to clean some more. I applied to be the vacuum-cleaner so we can clean the dirt.

“We promised we will work hard. We will eliminate corruption. We will eradicate the madness called kidnapping. We willl work hard to clean Nigeria of rubbish.

“We promise you better education, job opportunities and better market for our agricultural produce that will make you and your children happy,” Tinubu said.

Also speaking at the rally, the APC vice-presidential candidate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, challenged the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to name eight projects he accomplished in the North and eight persons he mentored in eight years as Vice President.

Shettima urged the people of Sokoto State to disregard PDP’s campaign, saying Atiku was only in the presidential race “for his pockets”.

Speaking on why the North should vote for Tinubu, the former governor of Borno State described his principal as “a good man who has always stood by prominent sons of the region”.

Quoting a Quranic verse, Shettima added: “The reward for goodness is goodness. He has supported many of our people from Shehu Musa Yar’Adua to Atiku Abubakar in 2007, Nuhu Ribadu in 2011, President Buhari in 2015 and in 2019. We are good people. We are trustworthy. He supported our people, it is our time to reciprocate.

“We should come together and acquit ourselves as people of honour who keep their words.”

Others at the rally were party leaders and Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), among others.

The Star