Former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, at the weekend commended President Muhammadu Buhari for coming out publicly to debunk the rumour doing the rounds about his re-contesting for the third time.

Aliyu spoke as the representative of the former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, at the finals of the Niger State Quranic recitation competition, which took place at the palace of the Emir of Minna, Dr. Umar Farouq Bahago, on Saturday.

Describing the recent declaration as a welcomed development from the President, he said, “It is important the President came out to denounce this rumour because some people are already heating up the polity with it and I think we should thank him for doing what he did.”

He, however, expressed worry that the rumour was already spreading fear and eating deep into the fabrics of political jobbers across the country, who would for personal gains laid ambush against Nigerians and tried to manipulate them.

Aliyu, who is also the former of the chairman PDP Governors Forum, challenged well meaning Nigerians to disregard the rumour and work for peaceful co-existence of Nigerians notwithstanding their tribal and religious inclinations.

“We should not encourage such third term agenda rumour, knowing the position of Nigerian constitution and now that he (President Buhari) has come out to tell Nigerians that he will never seek re-election and is ready to quit the stage in 2023”.

Aliyu maintained that, what God has designed for everyone would come to pass at the appointed time. “God said he (Buhari) would serve two terms even though he promised Nigerians that he was going to be there for only one term”

“I think we should be happy that he (President) is saying he is going to abide by the constitution and by quitting the state after this his second term. To me that is very important and I commend him for that because his coming out to denounce the proponents will douse political tension”.