I Would Have Been In Trauma If Atiku Had Won – Buhari

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he would have been in trauma of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal had ruled in favour of his challenger, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Buhari, who received governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abuja said “On this judgement, again it was a fabulous coincidence that it came almost the same time the first Federal Executive Council meeting of this government was taking place. It lasted about the same time with the judgement.

“I thank God for that because I think I would have gone into trauma or something. So, I was busy trying to concentrate on the memo. The first memo was on the budget and it took more than five hours. So, while you were doing your thing for nine hours, we were doing our for about seven hours here.

“It is a very interesting coincidence and I thank God for it because I would have been in trauma or something of that sort.”

Buhari said the victory at the tribunal was collective as it affected all the party members, governors and Nigerians, pointing out that a contrary judgement would also have affected all members of the party.

The President told APC party leaders and governors that there was a need to invest more into positioning the party for the future.

“We really need to institutionalize the party so that when we leave, the party will continue to lead,’’ he said.

The President said he joined the military “immediately’’ after secondary school and the reality of discipline carried through his years of serving the country, including fighting in the war front.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said the judgement was “eloquently and analytically” delivered to clear all doubts on the veracity of the President’s school credentials, assuring him of the party’s loyalty and support.

“We never had any doubt. We were convinced of our victory. It is of particular interest that the only asset that the President has invested and continues to invest is his integrity. And we saw some people trying to throw mud at that integrity. On personal integrity, the opposition party does not have in their rank any man or woman who has your integrity,” he said.

The Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Governor of Kebbi State, congratulated President Buhari on the victory at the tribunal, noting that his dedication to duty and serving the country kept him at FEC meeting at the crucial moment.

Describing the judgement as clinical, with surgical precision in dealing with all the issues raised, Governor Bagudu assured the President of the support of all APC governors, and other governors that had benefited from his leadership.