2019 Election: President Buhari is still consulting widely on re-election bid - Senator Kurfi

Senator Umaru Ibrahim Kurfi representing Katsina Central has explained why President Muhammadu Buhari is bidding for more time  to decide on his re-election bid, saying the president is consulting widely at the moment. 

Kurfi who is the vice chairman of the Senate committee on Finance also said majority of the Senators are fully behind Buhari to actualise his second term bid. 

President Buhari had on Thursday night had met state governors under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who urged him to declare his intention to contest in 2019
Speaking in Abuja at the closing ceremony of a one week leadership training programme organised by the National Committee of Buhari Support Groups (NCBSG) for its coordinators nationwide, Senator Kurfi noted that the president's response to the governors' demand was a wise one,  as he is still making wider consultation on his second term bid. 
 

He said, "for Buhari to say governors should give him more time as regards 2019, for me, it is a wise decision. He cannot take the decision without consultation. He has to have some people who will advise him. I know Buhari is doing a very wider consultation and I am positive Buhari by God’s grace he will declare his intention for his re-election in 2019".

On the stance of his colleagues on the president's reelection bid,  Senator Kurfi said, "All Senators are with Buhari. I do not know of anyone who is on the other side. In the senate we are the majority. They are all helping Buhari to come back in 2019. If Buhari does not come back or gets re-elected then we are going to lose". He further said past leaders in the country who are opposed to Buhari's second term are being jealous of the president because his performance within three years in office has outshined theirs.

In his words: "those who are saying that he (Buhari)  should not contest in 2019 are envious of him. These people are all former Heads of States. They did not perform during their tenure; they are envious of him. I do not blame them if it were you, you will do the same. They are not happy because he is performing. During their time there was a lot of corruption. As far as I am concerned President Buhari has performed excellently and there is no past president that has performed like him. For example there was a time that people cannot go to the mosque or church due to the fear of Boko Haram but now he has eliminated Boko Haram. The corruption which we inherited is no more.  Buhari is a performer".

On the seminar organised by the NCBSG, Kurfi said, "I am overwhelmed by this training. This shows that this government is doing very well. For a person to have this kind of followers it means Buhari is doing very well. With this kind of crowd it means President Buhari is performing. I am assuring you that 2019 will be a better year than 2015. We are all proud of President Muhammadu Buahri. Since inception of this administration he has not failed. He has defeated Boko Haram. He is tackling corruption without fear or favour. When the head is clean certainly the bottom will be clean. We will follow this leader and by the grace of God in 2019, there is nobody else than Muhammadu Buhari. We want everybody to be carried along in the scheme of things. I am sure this crowd will do a good job for Buhari in 2019. Everybody should come out and vote during the forthcoming general election in 2019". 

High point of the week-long seminar was the presentation of certificates to participants at the event.  While presenting the certificates to them,  Senator Kurfi said, "This certificate is good and will guide you through 2019 and beyond"