Senator Shehu Sani backs President for 2nd term victory

Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central - APC) has backed President Muhammadu Buhari on his second term bid as he pledged the support of his constituency to the 75-year-old.

The lawmaker made his pledge when he paid a visit to the president in Daura, Katsina State on Thursday, August 23, 2018.

While speaking to the media after a meeting with the president, Sani said he discussed several issues with Buhari bordering on uniting the All Progressives' Congress (APC) and ensuring his second term victory.

He said, "I am also here to fully assure him of the support of my constituency, Kaduna Central, to his aspiration for the second term. I'm also here to assure him of my own wholehearted support to the success of his administration and his return to office for the second term.

"Those were the basic issues that we discussed with him and other issues that border on the need to strengthen our party; the need to end all internal strife and also the need to put heads, hearts and hands together for the success of his administration and also for the success of the party."

Sani says national interest made him stay with APC

Despite his several public criticisms of the administration, Senator Sani did not join the party of a dozen lawmakers that dumped the APC for the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in July.

After Thursday's meeting, Sani said he refused to leave the party due to national interest which he put over his own personal interests so as to contribute to the nation's progress.

He said, "Well, there is no human being without any grievances but when national interest is put at the front side you have to put aside other parochial interests.

"What we need to do as politicians and as people representing those who elected us is to always put the country first and know very well that we have both constitutional and moral duty to work to the progress of Nigeria and of this government.

"So, I think these are the basic issues which we discussed, grievances are natural but we have to know that we have a country that we need to keep and also we have a country that we need to support, so that it can progress.

"I think the party had made it very clear and known to each and every person that there will be reward for loyalty but in every sense of the word due process of the party needs to be followed.

"And as far as we are concerned, what matters most to us is not simply about automatic ticket but about the peaceful and transparent conduct of the 2019 election and also the very need for us as a people and as a nation to know that the fate of the country is on our hands."

Earlier in August, the senator disclosed that the PDP enticed APC lawmakers with promises of automatic tickets for their re-election bids, but he said he's ready for any competition within the APC. The lawmaker said politicians leaving the party in protest is not an effective way to resolve conflicts.