Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd) wins APC presidential ticket.

Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.),71,  has emerged the Presidential flag bearer of the All Progressive Congress (APC) , the main opposition coalition for the February 2015 elections in Nigeria.

Buhari won 3,430 votes out of a total of 6,000 votes at the party’s National convention at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.  He will now contest with incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan setting then scene for a tough and potentially divisive challenge.

General Buhari has positioned himself as the strongman needed to root out corruption, and roll back the brutal Islamist insurgency tearing at Nigeria’s multi-ethnic and religiously divided federation.

Below is Buhari’s speech at the convention:

“I have always served Nigeria to the best of my ability. I have always tried to give more to the nation than it has given me. This is the principle of service that has guided my public life. Thus, I am not a rich person. I can’t give you a pocketful of dollars or naira to purchase your support. Even if I could, I would not do so. The fate of this nation is not up for sale. What I will give you and this nation is all of my strength, commitment, sweat and toil in the service of the people. What I can give you is my all.

“I do not intend to rule Nigeria. I want to democratically govern it with your help. I seek a Nigeria where Christians and Muslims may practice their faiths in peace and security; a Nigeria that is just and where corruption no longer trespasses into our institutions and national behavior and a Nigeria where our diversity could be used for our national prosperity.

“Through a long career trying to build a better country for my fellow Nigerians in offices both high and low I have always tried to place my country before myself.

“While some who have occupied those same positions have grown mysteriously rich, I still live on my army pension. I own no foreign bank accounts, I own no companies profiting from government contracts.

“Why then do I seek office, if not for myself? While others might prefer to stay at home watching their grandchildren grow and leave the battle to others, I still see injustices that need to be righted and I still dream of a New Nigeria.

“I am what you see before you – a simple man who believes in serving both God and his country. A man who is impatient for change, who loves Nigeria and seeks to serve it once again.

“Nigeria is our home. Let us now turn it into the great nation we know it can and should be. I thank you all.”