President Muhammadu Buhari and national leader of the All Progressives Congress has finally succumbed to pressures to take the front seat in his party’s presidential campaigns ahead next February’s Presidential and National Assembly elections to hold on February 25.
A statement issued on Friday by Festus Keyamo,( SAN)Minister of State, Labour and Employment, who incidentally is the Director of Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, disclosed that President Buhari has agreed to be present at rallies to be held in ten states across the country.
President Buhari is the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council of the APC.
Buhari’s recent decision was on the heels of insinuations by certain APC Governors from the North that he was indifferent to Tinubu’s aspirations.
Buhari’s spokesmen had last year denied the speculation as they assured the party faithful that President Buhari would support Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the party standard bearer and other candidates, seeking elective offices under the ruling party.
A statement issued last August and signed by Buhari spokesperson, Mallam Garba Sheu, read in part: “Our stand is clear, only those candidates fielded by the All Progressives Candidates will enjoy the support of the President and they are the ones he will campaign for.
“The Presidency wishes to put it on record, and at the same time, reassure faithful party members that President Muhammadu Buhari remains a “disciplined soldier” of the All Progressives Congress, and will, in all the coming elections, support only those candidates fielded by the party and no other.”
Keyamo in his statement listed states where Buhari will join APC National Working Committee members, the governors to campaign for Tinubu to include, Adamawa, Yobe, Sokoto and seven others.
The statement read in part:” Recall that Mr. President, out of his very busy schedule, had earlier attended the flag-off of the presidential campaign in Jos on the 15th of November, 2022. This was also after graciously accepting to be the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council of the ruling party.
“In the latest campaign timetable released yesterday (5th January, 2023) the President is billed to join the Campaign Train in at least ten States.
“The states are Adamawa State on the 9th of January; Yobe State on the 10th of January; Sokoto State on the 16th of January; Kwara State on the 17th of January; Ogun State on the 25th of January; Cross Rivers State on the 30th of January; Nassarawa State on the 4th of February; Katsina State on the 6th of February; Imo State on the 14th of February and the Grand Finale in Lagos State on the 18th of February.
“The PCC expresses its profound gratitude to President Buhari, the leader of our great party, for his sterling and inspirational leadership at this time and for galvanising our teeming members and supporters across the country.
“We urge our party faithful and supporters to turn out en masse, as usual, in the forthcoming campaign rallies. The zero hour is nigh; our spirits must be high; we must not relent in this collective march to our victory that is divinely ordained.”
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