As the presidential campaign enters second gear, the All Progressive Congress ( APC) had not started its campaign fully because of the composition of the campaign council.
According to reports, some progressive governors were not happy that their interest was not accommodated in the list and the inauguration of the campaign council was delayed .
Finally, the list was expanded and the different interests were accommodated and Friday was set for the unveiling of the campaign and action plan.
Besides, there were reports that President Muhammadu Buhari was not disposed to the candidacy of Bola Tinubu, an allegation the presidency had denied vehemently severally.
However, the President put those speculations to rest on Friday at the Presidential Villa when he declared that he will be at the forefront of Tinubu’s campaign.
The President based his decision to lead the campaign on the fact that it is even more important to the party than the one of 2015 because the gains made by the country in the last seven years must be preserved.
He stated this at the unveiling of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and the Action Plan of the APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He also declared that despite the unfavorable circumstances of global economic downturns, the Covid-19 pandemic, and very low international oil prices resulting in low revenue, the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government has ‘’managed to make Nigeria stable,’’ laying a solid foundation for progressive growth.
The President also said in the seven years journey as a government, the party has every reason to be proud of its achievements amid the inherited systemic corruption and local challenges of insecurity.
The president said electing Tinubu would consolidate the achievements of his administration as the presidential candidate has the capacity, visionary leadership, and track record to do more.
‘’It would be disastrous to allow a situation that will lead to the reversal of the progress our country has made. Let me add that I joyfully accept the position of chairman of the campaign council we are unveiling today.
‘’Our candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is too well known for his capacity and can-do spirit. He stands tall in his track records as a democrat, a champion of the rule of law, a man at home in every part of our country, and a truly visionary leader. All you need to do is think of Lagos in 1999 and 2022!
‘’I, therefore, want to assure all party members and supporters of our government that I will be at the forefront of this campaign.
‘’This election is even more important than the election of 2015 that brought us into power. The cost of losing the gains our country has made is much more than the need to stop the hemorrhage that led to our coming together nearly nine years ago.
‘’I want to charge every member to put in all their efforts during the next four and half months of the campaign to ensure we record a resounding victory in all our elections nationwide. The future of this country is safer in our hands, ‘’ he said.
The President who described the APC presidential candidate as ‘’the Jagaban, my friend, partner, and brother,’’ said the occasion was important to him for two reasons.
‘’First, it is significant to note that this unveiling is the third by our Party. I have had the opportunity of unveiling two Action Plans. I had the privilege of presenting our party’s manifesto of Change in 2014.
‘’It was a manifesto that signposted our collective desire to arrest the directionless journey our country was headed under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The second time was in 2018 when I unveiled the Next Level agenda of our government.
‘’The second reason this occasion is significant is that we are having our first transition within our party where I am in the last year of my two-term mandate, and we have a new candidate to lead our party into another Presidential election.
‘’The events preceding our Presidential primaries and the conduct of the primaries were important milestones in the development of our internal democracy and party politics.
‘’I must congratulate the leadership of our party, other stakeholders, and the entire party members for the success of the exercise. We can say with confidence, that our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is charting a steady course in our journey towards enthroning lasting democratic culture in our body polity.’’
In his remarks, Tinubu declared:
‘’I seek to become the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because I know the way. My experience and past performance have shown that it will be through collective effort and national endeavor that we join hands, cross the divides, and achieve our vision. I ask you to join Senator Shettima and me on this journey.’’
On his Agenda for Renewed Hope for Nigeria, the APC Presidential candidate said standing on the foundation emplaced by the current administration, his administration will among other things, build a Nigeria, especially for the youth, where sufficient jobs with decent wages create a better life.
He said his administration would export more and import less to earn more foreign exchange and strengthen the naira.
National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said the party was set for self-succession in the 2023 presidential and general elections, buoyed by ”the dint of hard work, perseverance, discipline, good governance and far-reaching policies of the Buhari administration which has pulled back Nigeria from the brink and stabilized the country.”
The Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Kashim Shettima, yesterday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of failing to read the country’s mood before deciding on its presidential candidate.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony of the APC presidential manifesto yesterday, Shettima described PDP’s “presidential dream” as a “televised national circus”.
Shettima said: “His excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, proved to us once again that his integrity will never be on the shelf for any self-serving bidder, and his moral principle set in motion a chain of events that led to the consolidation of national interests, that paved the way for Asiwaju’s emergence as the presidential flag bearer.
