By Marcus Ikechukwu
President Muhammadu Buhari Saturday in Daura, Katsina State, displayed his ballot paper, with thumbprint for All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The president said after campaigning for the political leader in many parts of the country, that he has reaffirmed his preferred successor.
President Buhari, who cast his vote alongside his wife, Aisha Buhari, and other family members, at Ward A, Sarkin Yara Polling Unit, 003, said it was a pity that only one female emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC, Aisha Ahmed Binani, urging support for the candidate.
He assured that he had always supported the candidature of Asiwaju Tinubu, and the show of his ballot paper to the media and the public further shows his commitment to the party and the national leader.
“I am very impressed because I have seen how the people turned up. I am very impressed and very happy. Well, the candidate I voted for I have already mentioned him in many states in Nasarawa, Katsina, and Sokoto.
“All over the places I mentioned my favourite candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu, and I believe my constituency will elect him 100 percent,’’ he said.
President Buhari advised Nigerians to ensure that their rights to vote were always respected.
“Nigerians should make sure that they are respected; that means that the candidate they want to vote for they are allowed to vote for him.
“It is a pity there is only one female candidate from Adamawa State so the electorate should kindly follow our party,’’ he added.
Asked how he felt that it was the first time since 2003 that he was not on the ballot paper, the President said, “it is very exciting. I look at those who are competing and some of them are so agitated that they didn’t know that I tried three times and ended up in the Supreme Court three times.
“The fourth time I said ‘God dey’ and God sent technology, Permanent Voters Card, so no fraudulent person can claim anything,’’ he stated.
According to the President, “APC will win, from Daura to Lagos.’’
The president’s family members and staff also voted at the polling unit.
Meanwhile, Buhari who is serving his last term in office arrived at exactly 9:54 am at Polling unit 003, Sarkin Yara A Ward, Daura Local Government area of Katsina state in the company of his wife, Aisha Buhari.
At the Presidential and National Assembly elections which were held across the country, voting started at Buhari’s Polling Unit, Kofar Baru (111) Gidan Niyam exactly a few minutes past 8:am prior to his arrival.
Upon arrival, Buhari and his wife first glanced through the voter register pasted on the wall, then presented their PVC to the INEC official, who then verified and accredited them using the BVAS machine, before proceeding to the polling booth to thumbprint and subsequently dropping the ballot papers in their respective boxes.
