Nigerians in United Kingdom Endorse Buhari for President

An organization based in the United Kingdom, BUHARI SUPPORT ORGANISATION

DIASPORA UK, an umbrella group of several Muhammadu Buhari supporters, has

endorsed General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of All

Progressives Congress (APC), for the presidency at next month's election.

This was contained in the communique of at least five (5) groups who

jointly hosted the representative of General Buhari, Hon Farouk Adamu

Aliyu, to a well-attended and educative Interactive Evening in London on

Monday 26th January 2015.
The groups who came together to establish a united Nigerian front for the

General are: Buhari Diaspora Organisation, Buhari Friends Organisation

Network, Progression Solidarity Forum, Buhari Vendors, General Muhammadu

Buhari Grassroots Mobilisation and the Diaspora For Buhari Project.

With the Convener of the group, and Chairman of the event, Chief Wale

Kalejaiye welcoming the guest, Hon Farouk Aliyu to London, as well as the

audience, the session kicked off to a good start with the introduction of

special guests, amongst who are the His Worshipful Mayor of Lambeth,

Councillor Adedamola Aminu; Chief (Dr) Ibrahim Emokpaire (Chair APC-UK);

Hon Odaro Omorege; Alhaji Abdulkadir Maikudi; Dr Dapo Oshun-Williams; Mrs

Jana Shodiya (Ayaba); Mr Rasheed Taiwo; Mr Charles Emuko-Whate; Chief

(Mrs) Uche Mill; Air Vice Marshall (Rtd) Funsho Martin (Parton, Hope

Movement) amongst others.
Hon Farouk Aliyu introduced himself and apologised on behalf of GMB,

explaining that the schedule of the election campaign in Nigeria put a

constraint on the travel plans of the General, who has now had to shelve

plans to travel to the Vatican, the US and the UK before the election on

14 February. However, GMB sent his goodwill messages and warm wishes to

his supporters in the UK and the Diaspora in general. He assured

Nigerians of the right CHANGE and that he and his running mate, Professor

Yemi Osinbajo are committed to doing their utmost to ensure Nigeria is

turned around. He especially reiterated that Prof Osinbajo has been of

tremendous assistance to the cause – dedicated, loyal, focused,

knowledgeable and a true and patriotic Nigerian
He assured the enthusiastic audience that the GMB/PYO group, as well as

the party itself have identified the problems and the real issues

affecting the people of Nigeria and are working towards readiness to

tackle them once they get into power.
Hon Aliyu talked about issues and how GMB/PYO are planning to tackle them:

corruption, education, insecurity of life and property from Boko Haram,

failure of the PDP to turn the country around in 16 years of being in

power, etc
He further said that they do not want any violence or bloodshed and that

the GBM/PYO will concede and accept defeat if the elections are free and

fair. They will only go to court if they know a lot of rigging has

occurred to put the PDP government back in power.
He assure the audience that all the negative perceptions of Buhari –

religious fanatic who is against Christians, Fulani hegemony who believes

in “born-to-rule”, rigid, certificate, etc – has been debunked already in

Nigeria and around the world and would not serve the PDP well to continue

to dish out falsehood and slander.
Chief Wale Kalejaiye, in his response said there are more than 2 million

Nigerians in the UK alone and about 14 million worldwide. He assured

GMB/PYO of the Diaspora's highest esteem, and promises to continue to work

for them to win the election, as well as to provide support even after the

election to ensure Nigeria changes for good. He said most Nigerians in the

Diaspora believe that the GMB/PYO is a good combination and ideal

candidates for Nigeria's emancipation and redemption.

The Mayor of Lambeth also took this opportunity to endorse General Buhari,

and emphasised that political manifestoes are just pieces of papers unless

the contents are implemented, not only nationally, but down to the states

and local government levels so that all the levels of governments are

working at the same level of understanding and in tandem to develop the

country. Only when this is done will a manifesto be considered effective

and implemented. He also called on GMB/PYO never to forget Nigerians in

Diaspora and their achievements in various areas of human endeavour all

over the world. He pointed out the amount in billions of Dollars and

Pounds Sterling that Nigerians repatriate home every year, which is more

than the entire budget of several states in Nigeria. Nigerians abroad are

assets to Nigeria and must be recognised and exploited by any responsible

government that wishes to do well for its citizens. He urged Brain Gain

instead of Brain Drain, and assured all that Nigerians abroad are always

ready to contribute to and serve their country if sincerely given the

chance and the enabling environment. He also called on the GMB/PYO to

ensure that Nigerians in Diaspora are able to vote before the next

election in 2019.
There then follows a very robust, educative and penetrating, well-informed

interactive session of questions and answers from the mostly professional

Nigerians ranging from diaspora voting, job creation, women inclusion and

empowerment, care for the disabled, prevention of rigging, the contentious

PVC, how will the new government source money for its proposed programmes

on job creation, healthcare improvement, transportation and roads

rehabilitation, improving communication, boosting agriculture, uplifting

education, creating social welfare, and many other issues of importance

and concern to Nigerians.
Hon Aliyu was very much up to the task and responded to the highly

penetrating and interrogative questions expertly and with great knowledge

and sincerity, putting his reputation and that of GMB/PYO on the line, and

even giving the audience his personal phone numbers and email addresses.

And the answers left many in the audience satisfied and assured that

Nigeria is on the way to greatness, if and when GMB/PYO assumes the

peoples' mandate, come 29 May 2015.
Later in the evening, Chief Kalejaiye, on behalf of all the groups

presented some token sum of money, contributed by ordinary Nigerians in

the UK to Hon Aliyu as a contribution to the campaign of GMB/PYO, as well

as presented 2 laptop computers to aid the collation of results as well as

other logistics. Chief Kalejaiye explained that apart from these 2

laptops, 5 laptops have already been delivered to the GMB/PYO campaign

efforts in Nigeria and assured that more funding, laptops and other

equipment are forthcoming before the elections.
The night ended with the launching of a “Phone A Relative for

Buhari/Osinbajo” campaign. It was very colourful as Hon Farouk Adamu Aliyu

flagged off the launch when he cut the ribbons and placed a live random

call to a voter in Nigeria, urging him to vote for Buhari/Osinbajo in the

next presidential election taking place in February 14. The receiver of

the call responded in excitement that his entire family will be voting for

Change on the Election Day but equally urged all Nigerians to do the same.

Photographs and hope filled the air with enthusiasm as Nigerians looking

hopeful that our country will be great again once Buhari and Osinbajo are

sworn in on 29th May 2015.
Akintokunbo A Adejumo Chief Wale Kalejaiye Dr Garba Sani

Publicity Secretary Convener Coordinator
Telephone: +447903018087
Email: [email protected]
Anthony Akabogu
Diaspora Campaigns Strategist
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