•Flagbearer returns today •Southeast APC women hold rally in Owerri
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!•Onaiyekan: ruling party chose same-faith ticket as winning strategy
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC), members of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) yesterday resolved to work for the victory of the standard bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
Also, the three organs agreed to set up a conflict resolution mechanism for resolving issues that may affect the presidential campaign and the chance of the ruling party at the poll.
APC leaders were in one accord at their strategy meeting at the party secretariat in Abuja, which was at the instance of the national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
It was learnt that the crucial meeting was meant to herald the campaigns.
The standard bearer, a source said, is also expected back in the country today from London where he held talks with businessmen, including Mr. Yemi Idowu, an accomplishment investor.
Ahead of the campaign kick-off, Southeast APC women have held a historic rally in Owerri, Imo State capital.
The event trailed the Lagos APC Women rally and the ‘Walk for Asiwaju, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, organized by party faithful.
Also yesterday, Catholic priest and former President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), John Cardinal Onaiyekan, declared that the ruling party’s same faith ticket was, in the opinion of APC, the best option.
Addressing reporters after the meeting that lasted for about five hours, Adamu said the leaders, governors and the campaign council have resolved to forge ahead in harmony.
He said: “We are very comfortable. We have established machinery for resolving everything. We are together with the governor’s forum and NWC. I believe the meeting we had is more than useful to us. For us, nothing short of victory, and that is the spirit of this meeting.”
The chairman, who refused to disclose when the party will commence its planned nationwide campaign, however, said APC cannot run faster than its shadow.
Adamu said the party recognised the important role of all its organs, stressing that meaningful progress cannot be made in the 2023 elections without the support of APC governors.
He said: “Essentially, we want to interact with our governors who are the custodians of the fate of APC in their various states that they are privileged by God to lead at this point of Nigeria’s democratic dispensation.
“Being the chief executive officers of their various states, the onus lies in the hands of God and their hands because they are the commanders of the party fortunes in their various states.
“We can not make meaningful progress in the affairs of these states, particularly in an election year that is approaching. We can not plan without the buy-in of our governors so, that we can stand together, believing that we share the same aspirations. We will plan together to see how best we can deliver the interest of the party and ensure that victory is ours in the 2023 general election that is by the corner.”
PGF chairman and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said the governors visit the secretariat to strategise.
On the composition of the campaign council, Bagudu, who described the release of the 422-member campaign list as unfortunate, assured that it would be sorted out.
He said: “Governors are very proud of our party. We are very proud of our party leader, President Muhamadu Buhari. We are very proud of the conventions that produced both our national chairman and our presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima. We are very proud of the actions of the national chairman and the NWC. We are very proud of the actions of the presidential campaign council.
“We are happy that we are discussing, even though there was a list. It was a mistake. But I am happy that the party is solidly behind our candidate and our party and whatever lists that have come out erroneously, we believe it will be sorted out.”
Other PGF members at the meeting were Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Abdulahi Ganduje (Kano), Sani Bello (Niger), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Simon Lalong (Plateau) and the deputy governor of Borno State, Umar Kadafur.
PCC members at the meeting were former APC National Chairman and Deputy Director-General of PCC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and former Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, Deputy Director-General (admin).
Women rally support for Tinubu/Shettima in Imo
Thousands of Southeast women yesterday converged on Owerri, Imo State capital, for a rally in support of Tinubu and Shettima.
The women gathered at Hero Square later marched through the Imo International Conference Center (IICC), to the Government House, where Governor Hope Uzodimma received them.
The governor said APC had done well, adding that it is a party to beat in the zone.
