A staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari who trekked from Gombe to Abuja in support of the President's victory in 2015 presidential election, Dahiru Buba, has said that he has become an object of ridicule over the decision he took to celebrate Buhari’s victory.
Buba, who told Saturday PUNCH in an exclusive interview that he is jobless, is currently battling with leg pains due to the decision he personally made out of excitement for Buhari’s election victory.
Below is the interview:
What do you do for a living?
I’ m currently unemployed; I have not had any source of livelihood for some time now . I have two wives and seven children.
Are you a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress?
Yes, I’ m a card - carrying member of the APC in Gombe State. I duly registered at the ward level in Dukku.
What is your relationship with Buhari?
The only relationship I have with him is the love I have for the APC, Buhari’s personality as a man of integrity and as a lover of the masses.
Why did you choose to trek to Abuja from Gombe for Buhari?
The idea came out of my excitement after the APC won the presidential election in 2015. It was because my party and my choice candidate, President Buhari, became the democratically elected leader of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This came after he had tried a number of times. When it was taking forever for him to become the President, I promised myself to do something big, not knowing he would win. So I vowed that if Buhari got elected, I would do something extraordinary. The best way was to trek.
How many days did the journey take you?
It took me roughly 15 days.
What type of footwear did you use to trek?
I used three slippers during the trip. I changed my slippers three times.
Who monitored you to be sure you did not use a form of transportation at some point?
I didn’t enter any vehicle. In fact, some people stopped to ask me what was going on and when I told them about my decision to trek, they wished me luck. Some others even offered to give me a ride but I declined. I’ m always sincere in my belief or in whatever course I choose to course. Taking a ride would have eroded the genuineness of my plan and record so I refused to allow any car take me to my destination. When I got to my destination on foot, my legs were swollen.