It Doesn’t Make Sense for Buhari to Attend all APC Presidential Campaigns, Says PCC Member

Bennett  Oghifo

A member of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mariya Ibrahim Baba yesterday said it does not make sense or practicable for President Muhammadu Buhari to lead all the election campaigns of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the party’s flag bearer.

The PCC member, who spoke on the Morning Show programme on Arise News said, “Buhari is still the president of Nigeria and he has work to do. If you notice he has outlined the places he will accompany the presidential candidate to campaign and he has been to other places even when we flagged off our campaign in Jos he was there and he’s going to be in Katsina very soon.

“But he is the sitting president and you don’t expect him to leave office for the whole campaign period to go out to campaign when he has work to do. It doesn’t make sense.

“He has to divide his time into these two very important areas. As the president he has to attend to his duties too.

“He has accompanied our candidate and he will continue to accompany him until election day.”

Recently, the spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, listed the states where the president is expected to join the campaign train as Lagos, Adamawa, Cross River, Katsina, Imo, Yobe, Kwara, Katsina, Ogun and Nasarawa.

The opposition PDP had said that  the President’s decision to join Tinubu’s campaign in just 10 states is a confirmation that Buhari had been foot-dragging in campaigning alongside Tinubu “who has brought them more grief than glory.”

The PDP in a statement by its Director of Media, Bashorun Dele Momodu added it was obvious that President Buhari and many senior APC chieftains are palpably embarrassed about the quality of their Presidential campaigns which has been extremely lackluster.

“Their candidate has failed miserably to even sell his own manifesto. It has been one gaffe after the other. To President Buhari’s credit, he was able to put up a robust defense when he was accused of some shortcomings in the past.

“In Tinubu’s case, his team has resorted only to bullying opposition and the media without offering responsible explanations to very serious accusations and allegations. The social media is awash with incredibly embarrassing jokes and comedy skits about a once ebullient and well-respected South West political icon.

“It is therefore not surprising that President Buhari has been foot-dragging in campaigning alongside a candidate who has brought them more grief than glory. Just imagine that the President uttered no word when he handed the party flag to Chief Bola Tinubu.

“That was the first disturbing sign that all is not well in the APC House of Commotion. Not even Asiwaju’s ally and former Attorney General of Lagos State, Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has been seen standing next to him to defend his policies and personal character and attributes. Only a few rabble-rousers and political jobbers are left to goad him on. This is the most unusual Presidential campaign I have ever witnessed.”