By Idris Umar, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmad Tinubu, has dismissed the allegations about his health challenges describing it as  “rubbish”.

Tinubu, who just returned from Umrah in Saudi Arabia, said that he observed seven rounds between “Safa” and “Marwa,” which no unhealthy person could do.

“I told you where I am now. I just finished performing the Umrah. I did the seven rounds of Tawaf, I did the seven trips between Safa and Marwa.

I have moved round, spoke at different platforms and stood for hours to address different audiences. Before they said I could not walk, they said I could not stand, they are shamed. Since the campaign started I have marshalled more original ideas than anyone else. I have demonstrated knowledge, experience and great capacity to be on top of issues in the country.

And this job is about ideas and issues regarding leadership of our country. I have all it takes to be the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and I am asking people of the country to have confidence and respect for that, look at my background and my previous assignments. I want to serve the country and serve the country very well,” Tinubu said.

The APC Presidential candidate said he was in Saudi Arabia for the Umrah to pry for Nigeria because the country at this time needs prayers to overcome her challenges.

“Yes, I am here in Saudi Arabia. It is a personal trip. It is a trip for spiritual rebirth. I like coming to perform the Umrah every now and then. It is an opportunity to connect with Almighty Allah. We need his guidance. Nigeria is in need of prayers and that is why we are here praying for our country, self and the society,” he said.

As part of efforts t achieve victory, come February, Tinubu said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has realised that rallies alone were not enough to win support, so it has gone the extra mile of engaging Nigerians through different platforms.

“So far, so good. We are reaching each and every Nigerian. We decided that rallies are not always enough. We need to engage all Nigerians from all parts of the country and across all sectors of our socio-economic life. We have engaged businessmen, farmers, miners, industrialists, entertainers, labour leaders, and so on.

By the engagements we are having it is clear that we are going to win this election. As the elections are coming closer the signs are clear and that is why our opponents are jittery. They have now resorted to peddling fake news and quoting some of my statements out of context just to score cheap points,” Tinubu, who spoke in an exclusive interview with Kano’s Freedom Radio 99.5 FM, added.

On the issue of fuel subsidy removal, the former Lagos State Governor said he will end the wastage and re-channel the money to the people who truly need it.

“Recently I was asked about fuel subsidy removal, and I said I will ensure we end the wastage and re-channel the money to the people who truly need it. This is one position that almost all the candidates are united about. We all agreed that the subsidy regime is abused and it favours the rich more than the poor. It has to go.

“I couldn’t have opposed people expressing their own position on this. I believe in consultation and guaranteed by democratic values and norms. I respect opinion of people and I would not be party to stifling dissenting views or any legitimate protest. I am a veteran of protests myself. So why should I say people should not embark on well-intentioned protest? There is no excuse for that and there is no abuse of power intended,” the former Lagos State Governor concluded.

Diaspora Group Promises to Mobilise Votes for Atiku

The Atiku Diaspora Support Group, a political group in support of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, has pledged to mobilise votes in millions for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the February Presidential election

The Founder of the group, Chief Franklin Ekechukwu, in a statement yesterday in Lagos, said that the forum had commenced engagements within and outside the country to mobilise votes for Atiku and his running mate, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa.

“He (Atiku Abubakar) is the most prepared candidate to lead the nation at this critical time,” Ekechukwu said.

He said that Atiku remained the only presidential candidate with recovery blueprints and courage to unify the nation by ending divisions and hate among various ethnic groups.

According to him, the former vice president has the experience to hit the ground running on first day of assumption of office to address challenges bedeviling Nigeria.

He listed such challenges to include insecurity, poverty, rising debts and inflation, infrastructure decay, breakdown of law and order.

“It can only take a man who sees Nigeria as one to unify the country, and restore law and order, a man who understands how the financial rubicle works, that man is Atiku Abubakar.

“We can discuss his experience as a civil servant, as vice president, and as successful businessman, these add to his preparedness.

“We can say he is the only man in Nigerian today, whose home represents Nigeria and again, this support his mantra of “Unity, The Unifier.”

“In this critical election, the nation cannot afford to elect someone that will learn on the job, nor can it afford the current administration to continue as it is. The nation and the people deserve someone that knows what to do on his first day at work,” Ekechukwu said.

Describing Nigerians as very smart people, Ekechukwu said, “sufferings that they have gone through in recent years should be enough to redirect their intention to doing the right thing even if they do not want to, by electing the man who can rescue Nigeria”.

He revealed that the group had chapters in all 36 states, including Abuja as well as coordinators at the state, local government and ward levels.

“Our members are going door to door, knocking at every door and preaching Atiku, they are currently doing that which is needed to garner support across the country.

“If all goes well, millions of people will be mobilised for Atiku Abubakar come 2023 election,” he said.

He said that the group also had structures both in Nigeria and in Diaspora who had been going to the grassroots to sell Atiku Abubakar.

“We have structure in all the 36 states of the federal, as every politics is local. Here in US, we have learned to go back to the grassroots.

“It is that method we have adopted here. One of the most effective ways is to do the door to door, village by village, speaking to friend and making sure that our candidate is noticed.

“We also work very hard every day to project our principal in all social media. Luckily for us, Abubakar is very easy to sell. He is a man of integrity, and his personality alone makes it very easy,” Ekechukwu said.

He urged INEC and all its staff and officials to be truly independent and follow the new electoral law to the letter “regardless of whose ox is gored”. (NAN)