Ex-speakers’ forum rallies support for Buhari

FORMER speakers of the 36 states’ Houses of Assembly have met in Abuja to plot the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The speakers met at the residence of the Director General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi.

They met on the platform of Forum of former Speakers.

Its chairman, and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, was among the ex-speakers from across the country.

A former two-time speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Stanley Ugochukwu, briefed newsmen shortly after the meeting.

According to him, the members resolved to serve as a pressure group to ensure that there is good governance in the country.

He said Nigerians deserve cooperation from all fronts, including non-political organisations to strengthen the country’s democracy.

He stressed that the need to accomplish this task necessitated the forum’s resolve to do the needful. While passing a vote of confidence in Lalong, the forum pledged to remain non-partisan and confront issues affecting the country without any form of bias.

A former speaker in one of the middle belt states, who was also in attendance, confided in Theguardian that the meeting was geared towards rallying support for Buhari in the 2019 elections.

He said: “We discussed extensively, but of course what do you expect from meetings like this? It is to mobilise support for the president and other intending contenders in the forthcoming polls. A serving minister, who declined to be mentioned, disclosed that part of the forum’s concern was to beef up the waning popularity of the president, especially in some northern states.

“We also resolved to within our strength in our various constituencies, begin to pacify people and convince them on the need for continuity.

“This is despite the existing challenges facing the Buhari administration,” he said.