Yam farmers to raise N5bn for Buhari’s campaign

Yam farmers from some northern states have pledged to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign for next year’s general elections with N5 billion.

The group said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday.
Rev. Jacob Musa, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the farmers, under the name “Buhari-Osinbajo Presidential Appeal Campaign Fund (BOPCAF)”, said the money will be raised in 10 states.

Musa said members drawn from Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger and Kaduna states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, would feature at the fund-raiser.

“We have contributed five million tubers of yam to be donated in support of the funding of Buhari’s presidential campaign.

“The five million tubers of yam will be retailed at a special price of N1,000 each towards raising the sum of N5 billion in support of the APC candidate,’’ he said.

The statement added that the public presentation of the five million tubers of yam would hold at the Mararaban Demshin village yam market in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau on January 4.

It stated that the ceremony would also witness traditional wrestling, involving 500 traditional wrestlers from the 19 northern states and the FCT.

“The aim is to mobilise the wrestlers in the campaign against poverty, crime, killings, kidnappings, armed robbery, cattle rustling, rape, cultism, election rigging, looting of public fund, smuggling, terrorism and other social vices now prevalent in the society,’’ it said.

The statement also said the event would be heralded by a world news conference in Jos on Friday.

It added that the event would be attended by Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi in his capacity as the director general of the Buhari-Osinbajo Campaign Organisation.