Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Batati, is the National Coordinator of the National APC Supporters Centre, the coordinating group of all the support groups for the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima presidential ticket.
In this interview with TOPE SUNDAY, he speaks about the chances of the former governor of Lagos state in Saturday’s election.
As the National Coordinator of the APC National Support Centre, your party’s presidential campaigns have been rounded off. What are your chances in the presidential election?
You can see we’ve been going around, going to people in the villages, convincing them to vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu/ Senator Kashim Shettima for the presidency, and for our governorship, Senatorial and House of Reps candidates nationwide. We don’t have anything to say rather than waiting for the election to be held, which by the grace of God, will hold on Saturday. So, we don’t have any problem and we are not shaking. By the special grace of God, we are going to win. Tinubu and Shettima are going to lead our nation by the grace of God.
As a support group, how far have you gone in terms of mobilisation for the APC presidential candidate ahead of Saturday’s election?
The APC National Support Centre, which I am leading, and Dr. Nasir Ladan, who is the Director General of the Amalgamated Support Groups, there are about 2500 support groups. With that, we don’t have anything to say than, we have won because there is no political party that has support groups even up to 500 like us. In APC today, with money or without money, we have been sponsoring ourselves nationwide, and we have a lot of members.
We have also a farmers group, like farmers networking nationwide, they are one of our coalition groups. Nigerian youth networking, are more than 6 million and in our group, we are more than 17 million nationwide. So with these, Tinubu, and Kashim Shettima, we’ve worked for them to win the presidential election. By the special grace of God, I am waiting for the announcement of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next president
There is the allegation that the Naira Redesign is targeted at your candidate because he is banking on money to win the election. What is your reaction?
We don’t depend on money to vote and followers and our supporters do not depend on the money with money. Even, we are not waiting for anyone to give us money. We know what we’re doing. All of us are more than 17 years, and we know what we’re supposed to do. We know what is good and what is not good. So we don’t want anybody’s money. Nationwide, we are going to vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu massively on Saturday. Both Asiwaju and Shettima have been tested and they are trusted. So, with or without money, we are going to mobilise for them and ensure their victory even if we are going to ride on the back of Jackie to the poll centres.
There is this rumour going around the town that Northern APC leaders will betray Tinubu and vote for Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of the PDP?
There is nothing like that. We need good governance. So there is nothing like the Northerners betraying Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He is the right candidate. I went to all 19 Northern states, and I met with a group of women, youths, and even the northern elders. And there’s not like Atiku on their minds. You are talking about Atiku who said there is nobody in the northern part of Nigeria again, even praying that God will answer him again.
Atiku also said there are 80 Surahs in the Holy Quran, whereas, we have only 60. Please, don’t waste your time, as Northerners, we are voting for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Wait for the results from the North, you will be shocked that Tinubu would win overwhelmingly.
Don’t you think his Muslim/ Muslim ticket if he wins will affect Christians?
No, No! Asiwaju is is a detribalised Nigerian. He is not a fanatic. When he was the governor of Lagos state, many of his commissioners and SAs were Christians. His wife of many years is a Christian, and they don’t have any issues in their home. Asiwaju does not discriminate against any Nigeria. Also, Christians will gain a lot from his government. His campaign Director-General, Governor Simon Lanlong of Plaeatu state, and the Secretary of his campaign team is also Christian.
In all, Asiwaju knows how to relate with Nigerians irrespective of their faith.
