Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The Governors were led by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) and the Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu.
President Buhari, speaking at the meeting, said the opposition parties were overconfident that they would defeat APC in the just-concluded presidential election.
He said while the APC was working hard to retain power, the combined opposition was basking in overconfidence.
Buhari said, “They were already telling their foreign backers that they would defeat the APC. Our Party blended confidence with caution, we worked hard and won. Now, their overconfidence is creating more problems for the opposition than anyone else.
Read Full Details Of Buhari’s Meeting With APC Governors
“They are finding it hard to convince those who supported them from outside why they are unable to beat us. A combination of overconfidence, complacency and bad tactical moves made them lose, plain and clear. This has created more problems in their camp. Why did they fail to remove us?”
President Buhari, speaking on an issue raised by Governor Bagudu, said, “An important reason I congratulate Asiwaju on winning is because the opposition got support and false hope from outside and went on to create the impression that they will win, that they will defeat us. How more wrong could anyone be?”
The President in a statement released through his media aide, Garba Shehu, charged the APC governors to stick together and openly address issues among themselves.
He said, “Try and keep solving problems. Be courageous to discuss them openly between yourselves. This is the best way to survive politically in Nigeria.
“You (Governors) have a programme to meet regularly and to discuss issues and how to maintain the Party nationwide.”
President Buhari also spoke on his retirement proposal, noting that he intend to be at home in Daura for six months before moving eventually to Kaduna.
He appreciated the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai for the infrastructure he had provided, adding that the Governor of Kano had equally done the same.
Bagudu said the visit was ostensibly to say “Happy Sallah” to the President and to thank him for the leadership he had given to the Party and the nation.
The PGF Chairman, while congratulating President Buhari on the victory of the party in the presidential election, said, “Congratulations, your Party won the Presidency, a majority in the Senate and for being the leading Party in the House of Representatives. These successes would not have happened without your support.
“History will remember you kindly. Around the world, the election is being celebrated because of the turbulence in the region and the developing world, all courtesy of your leadership. We won by sheer hard work, the same thing you have always encouraged us to do. We thank you immensely for everything.”
Some of the governors at the meeting were Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa State, Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Simon Lalong of Plateau of State, Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina of State, and Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
Others are Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, and Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman of Kwara State, among others.
