The presidential candidate of Nigeria’s main opposition party the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gen Muhammadu Buhari, told AFP on Friday, February 6, that he is expecting to win next week’s presidential election by a wide margin.
PM News reports that the February 14 election, in which Buhari is challenging President Goodluck Jonathan, is too close to call, leading to a possible run-off if neither candidate secures a first-round majority.
Buhari, dismissed the suggestion of a tight race, saying in an interview: “What’s their reason for ‘too close to call’? What is their speculation on? I’m expecting a landslide victory.”
The former military head of state, who ruled for 20 months after seizing power in December 1983, has stood unsuccessfully for the presidency three times in the last 16 years.
On each occasion, in 2003, 2007 and 2011, he alleged electoral foul-play.
When asked if he would accept defeat this time around, the former military head of state replied: “I’m not going to lose. So, I won’t answer that question.”
Nigeria’s main opposition party is considered to have the best chance yet of ending the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) unbroken run in power since the country returned to civilian rule in 1999.
Buhari, who was noted for his hard line approach to indiscipline and corruption during his time in power, has been touted as the answer to Nigeria’s lengthy list of problems.
The PDP has sought to portray Buhari as yesterday’s man with dangerous, outdated ideas, but he asserted that Africa’s most populous nation and leading economy was ready for change.
“I have visited 34 states so far. In each of the states there are three things that are consistent, that are fundamental issues to this country — insecurity, the destruction of the economy and corruption,” he said.
Every Nigerian is feeling worried.”
Buhari further rejected claims from the PDP that he would rule again with an iron fist, saying the circumstances under a military regime were different from civilian rule.
“Multi-party democracy and the three tiers of government, enshrined in the constitution, had to be respected, with consequences for anyone acting outside the system”, he said.
Recently the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused Buhari, of lacking the oratory skills that President Goodluck Jonathan has.
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