The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the ongoing Bauchi South Senatorial District bye-election, Lawal Gumau, has revealed his intention of making Muhammadu Buhari president for the rest of his life, Punch Newspaper reports.

He made the revelation at the closing of his campaign in Bauchi on Thursday, where he said he will work towards amendment of the constitution to make Mr Buhari remain in power till he dies.

Mr Gumau, who currently represents Toro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said his only mandate for aspiring to go to the Senate is to protect Mr Buhari’s interest.

“I want you to know that the mandate that will be given to me on Saturday is to go and protect Buhari’s interest in the Senate,” he said.

“This is the only mandate that I will be going to the Senate with, having fulfilled every other mandate to the best of my ability while in the House of Representatives for eight years.

“By God’s grace, we will amend Nigeria’s constitution to allow Buhari to be president for the remaining years of his life. He will only cease to be president when God takes his life.

“Obasanjo tried all his best for the constitution to be amended to allow his go for third term, but God didn’t approve of it because of his lack of sincerity. What is now needed in Nigeria is to protect Buhari’s interest and that is what we will do,” the Punch quoted him saying.

Also speaking, the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’aziz Yari, said they were in the state on the mandate of the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo. He said it would be shameful for a candidate endorsed by Mr Buhari to lose in the election.

“Our message is simple, the Acting President is seriously worried about what is going on in Bauchi State and he told us to tell you that with all the love being shown to Bauchi state by the president, it will be shameful and disgraceful thing for us in the north for President Buhari to raise the hand of someone and the person loses that election,” he said.

Voting is currently ongoing in Bauchi South Senatorial District of Bauchi State as eligible voters decide who will represent them at the Senate following the vacancy created by the death of the former occupant, Ali Wakili, in March.

All the contenders have concluded their campaigns and now await the electorates to decide who is more suitable to replace the deceased senator.

Nine parties are taking part in what is expected to be a keenly contested election.

The parties in contest are All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Kowa Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), People for Democratic Change (PDC), African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Follow our live coverage of the election here.