The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) has adopted Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the February 14 election as its own presidential candidate.
The party made the announcement on Friday in Abuja. It said the decision was reached at its National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting held on Thursday.
According to the party, the endorsement of Mr. Buhari was based on its consideration of the five critical issues which its NEC believes constitute the nation’s top and urgent priority: national unity, public security, job creation, fight against corruption, and the economy.
It noted that Mr. Buhari had “a track record of achievement in these areas as a former head of state and, later, executive chairman of the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund”.
“The incumbent (President Goodluck Jonathan) that has been at the helm of affairs of the nation in the past six years has failed (in the critical issues considered by the party)”, it said.
PDM also expressed concern over the deteriorating security in the country.
It said it “noted the rising level of corruption, unemployment and impunity in the country and condemned the campaign of calumny and hate by prominent citizens who are desperate to win election at any cost, including plunging the nation into chaos and anarchy”.
The party, therefore, called on Nigerians to reject desperate politicians who have been given a chance to prove their worth but failed.
It said Nigeria’s democracy had come to stay and would not be undermined by the desperation of those who are afraid to lose elections in February 2015.
It called on all members and supporters of PDM across Nigeria to cast their votes for Mr. Buhari.