In continuation of his presidential campaign, President Muhammadu Buhari stormed the Warri stadium to a warm embrace of supporters whom he assured of his commitment to quality leadership.
Buhari is currently touring the nation in continuation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign.
The President also said his administration would continue to protect lives and properties as well as ensure the unity of the nation.
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the Warri Township Stadium, Buhari said the programmes on the development of the Niger Delta would be taken more seriously in view of its strategic importance to the economy.
Buhari, who had earlier visited the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli in his palace, told the crowd that his 2015 manifesto was still relevant to the needs of the country.
He assured that the nation’s resources would be prudently managed to boost the economy.
‘‘Since 1978 to 1979 when I was the Minister of Petroleum Resources, I have never lost interest in the Petroleum Industry because I know it is the nation’s asset.
‘‘I hope you will appreciate the favour you are doing for the rest of Nigerians.
‘‘I am trying to remind you to please reflect very seriously where we were in 2015 when we came and where we are today, and what we have been able to do with the resources available to us.
‘‘I assure you of this leadership interest in serving Nigeria and making the people to live together and work for our nation.
‘‘We have our youths here, most of them unemployed. We will turn to agriculture and industries,’’ he said.
Buhari said that the anti-corruption drive was on course, noting that there would be no hiding place for the looters.
‘‘I expect you to please cooperate and vote APC at all levels,’’ he said.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, thanked President Buhari for the development of infrastructure in the South-south region.
He urged the President to investigate the $16 billion U.S. Dollar allegedly invested in the power sector by the previous administrations.
‘‘As a leader with integrity, you have kept your promises to the people of the South-south and indeed Nigerians.
‘‘Delta is the economic hub of Nigeria and you have done a lot of infrastructural projects including the ongoing dredging of the Escravos channel to open up the Warri ports,’’ he said.
Oshiomhole urged the people to vote for all the APC candidates in the general elections.
Also speaking, the APC governorship candidate in Delta, Mr Great Ogboru thanked the President and described him as ‘father of many nations.’
Ogboru commended the President for his anti-corruption drive, stressing that the gesture had earned him a good name at the international level.
‘‘The gathering of the eloquent people of Delta is because of what you have done for us as a state.
‘‘You deserved to be called the father of the nation, the general of the generals,’’ he said.
The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Chachikwu, enumerated some of the projects done by the President to include: the take-off of academic activities at the Maritime University, Okerenkoko and the ongoing dredging of the Escravos channel among others.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and Director-General, Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Organisation, opined that the people of Delta were excited because of the infrastructural revolution in the state.
He urged the people of the state to vote for the President and other APC candidates in the general elections.
The APC Chairman in Delta, in his opening remark, said the enormous crowd was a demonstration of the people’s readiness to re-elect Buhari and also end the 20 years’ dominant rule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
‘‘Those who want Nigeria to sink will not have their way.
‘‘We are ready to vote Buhari as President, Ogboru as Delta Governor and other APC candidates in the state,’’ he said.
The campaign train thereafter proceeded to Benin City, Edo in continuation of the party’s quest for in the forthcoming general elections.
