President Buhari has reportedly handed over the campaign for his re-election to famous APC chieftain, Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Making the announcement earlier today at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council held at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, Buhari stated that Bola Tinubu will oversee the campaign for his re-election.
Buhari stated his reason as not wanting governance to suffer because of elections. Furthermore, Buhari assured Nigerians that his administration remains committed to good governance, adding that the campaigns would not affect their work.
Reacting to this development, the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has warned that the President shhould not to use this move as “an excuse” to be absent from the presidential debate organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group and slated for January 19, 2019.
Prior to the recent announcement by the President, the chairman of the APC Campaign Council, ought to lead his party’s campaign – supported by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Tinubu, who are both the council’s co-chairmen.
However, in an interview, the spokesperson for the Atiku Campaign Organisation, Mr. Segun Sowunmi, said it was sad that whereas other presidential candidates were busy campaigning and wanting to be questioned by the people, President Buhari was boycotting campaign because he had nothing to campaign for.
Sowunmi said the development also showed that the President did not have the rigour it takes to campaign and govern the country.
He said, “President Buhari has only attended one campaign, which was the one held in Uyo (Akwa Ibom State capital). He is pushing people ahead to campaign for him because his chickens have come home to roost.
“It proves what we’ve been trying to say before that Buhari doesn’t have the energy and rigour to campaign.
“If he is giving someone else the task of leading his campaign, he could have as well given his presidential ticket to someone who has the energy.
“He should not use this as an excuse to be absent from the presidential debate.
“Nigerians want someone they can question and someone who is willing to listen to them. So, he (Buhari) should take charge of his own campaign.”
Sowunmi said boycotting campaign was the same thing as boycotting governance, asking President Buhari to take up his responsibility.
“His excuse that he doesn’t want governance to suffer is not tenable. In the United States, United Kingdom, France and other great countries, campaign is part of governance because it is an avenue to interact with your people. Hence, Buhari should not hand over his campaign to someone else.
“In the first place, if he had organised the system to be running smoothly, he would not have given this excuse,” Sowunmi added.