President drops new hint on running for reelection in 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari dropped a new hint on his reelection bid for the presidency in the 2019 election while he was addressing stakeholders in Benue State over the states herdsmen crisis on Monday, March 12, 2018.

After the president arrived in the state on Monday morning, he presided over an interactive session with state governor, Samuel Ortom, traditional rulers, community leaders and major stakeholders.

During the meeting, the president noted that he was not going to make any promises about the economy until he returns to the state on campaign.

"When coming back on campaign, if coming back on campaign, I may promise," he said.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the president's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, as he appealed for calm in the midst of violent killings that escalated in January and has led to the death of over 100 people in the state.

The president told the stakeholders at the meeting to engage measures that'll lead to lasting peace in the state.

He said, "The governor and I, and others here know that we will leave one day, but the relationship between farmers and herders will continue. I urge you to keep in touch with them and advise them to live peacefully.

"Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups with different cultures and nobody can question God for putting us together."

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Buhari's reelection status

While the president has refused to officially declare his intention to seek reelection in 2019, he has flirted around the topic in recent months.

While meeting with the Nigerian community in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire in November 2017, the president explained that he was accompanied to the meeting by two state governors because it will "be another vote for me in the future."

Also, while speaking during a two-day visit to Kano State a week later, the president said he's confident of winning reelection particularly due to the crowd turnout.

"I am overwhelmed by the sea of people I see, and by what I see today, if elections are contested I will no doubt win it," he said.

Hours after media reports indicated that Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi had been reappointed as Buhari's national campaign coordinator on January 3, 2018, the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, told journalists in the State House that the campaign for his reelection has officially taken off in the southwest region.