4 years not enough for President's plans for Nigeria - APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has told Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari needs more than four years to fully implement that vision he has for the country.

The president officially announced his intention to seek re-election in the 2019 presidential election during a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee on Monday, April 9, 2018.

While mixed reactions have been expressed about his decision, the APC's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said re-election victory would give the president enough time to see his vision through.

During an appearance on Channels Television hours after the president's announcement on Monday, Abdullahi said the president deserves the opportunity to consolidate on the success of his first term.

He said, "What I believe as a member of the party is that the work that Mr President has started a little over three years ago is so fundamental to the development of this country that he needs the opportunity to build on that and to consolidate on it.

"I think the framers of our constitution know that four years cannot be enough to achieve the full realisation of all that government tries to achieve. I think it is in the interest of Nigeria that we allow the work that has started in the last four years to continue.

"President Muhammadu Buhari has brought something to this country that is different, and what he has brought to this country that is different is that his avowed commitment to 'fight against corruption' is so fundamental that sometimes we lose the understanding of what it means."

President Buhari had disclosed his decision to contest for a second term as the nation's leader is an answer to the calls by Nigerians to remain in office.

2019 presidential race

Motivational speaker and leadership coach, Fela Durotoye, became the second aspirant to officially declare his intention to contest for president after he joined the Alliance for a New Nigeria (ANN) on February 22, 2018. Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of online news platform, Sahara Reporters, declared his intention to run just days later on February 25.

Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose,was the first aspirant to have officially declared his intention to contest after his announcement in September 2017.

A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, Lagos-based businessman, Ahmed Buhari, and IT entrepreneur, Adamu Garba II are also in the running.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is expected to be President Buhari's biggest challenger after he left the APC and moved back to the PDP.