Buhari Absent at Presidential Debate…

Sources: thisdaylive.com

General Muhammadu Buhari

Jonathan: Why Nigerians must re elect me, reassures that elections would hold

By Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The last round of the Presidential Debate organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) took place  in Abuja on Sunday with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari absent, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, slugged it out with four other presidential candidates.

The four other presidential candidates include Comfort Oluremi of the Kowa Party, Martins Onovo of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Godson Okoye of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and Chekwas Okorie of the United Peoples Party (UPP).

President Jonathan used the occasion to state why Nigerians must re elect him for a second time, stating that his reelection on March 28 presidential election is to help consolidate his achievements since 2011. He also used the occasion of the presidential debate to assure Nigerians that all elections, including Presidential and the National Assembly elections, must hold as rescheduled.

According to President Jonathan, “Nigerians should vote for me because of the progress we have made since 2011. Before 2011, Nigerians were not interested in the conduct of free and fair elections, but with the electoral reforms introduced by this administrations, there are electoral reforms have made a free and fair elections possible.”

The president enumerated various achievements of his administration, which include youth empowerment, improved health care system that led to the eradication of guinea worms, polio, improved road network, railway system, which he said collapsed since thirty years ago.

“Today, due to this administration’s efforts, over 90 percent of the rail system has been rejuvenated and efforts are on to link every state capital with a railway network system.”

Also listed as achievements of his administration are improved agricultural system, agriculture and stable power supply.

“If Nigeria is to move forward, there is the need for stability,” adding: “My re-election will give room for consolidation.”