•APC UK Campaign Council to rally for Asiwaju in London, others
•Why ruling party’s candidate will record landslide victory, by APC Diaspora
• ‘Tinubu will defeat Atiku in Northeast’
• Students’ groups in Akwa Ibom community endorse Tinubu, Akpabio
Some eminent chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have formed an independent grassroots campaign group for the actualisation of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Senator Kashim Shettima presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general election.
The group, the Independent Campaign Council (ICC), was established to complement the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) primarily at the grassroots.
It has former Nasarawa State Deputy Governor Silas Agara as the National Coordinator.
Unveiling the council, a statement yesterday in Abuja by its Director Media and Publicity Committee, Ntufam Hilliard Eta, said: “A special purpose vehicle, the Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Campaign Council, has been unveiled in Abuja.
“The ICC has His Excellency, Silas Agara, former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State as National Coordinator.”
Eta also said the council “would complement the newly inaugurated (APC’s) PCC and focus shall be the grassroots”.
The statement added: “The ICC would also seek to expand the support base of the APC presidential bearer, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, to the hinterlands of the country.
“It would also adopt door-to-door, hamlet-to-hamlet campaigns/visitations, voter sensitisation, and outreach meetings, amongst others.
“Among the key directorates in the ICC are: Contact an Mobilisation, headed by Babatunde Fashola (SAN); Media and Publicity, headed by Ntufam Hilliard Eta; Reconciliation and Integration Committee, headed by Chief Audu Ogbe; Supports Groups and NGOs Committee, headed by Senator Tanko Al-Makura; Finance and Fundraising, headed Alhaji Kashim Iman.”
Also, Youth and Sport Development Minister Sunday Dare has begun mobilisation of youths, interest groups, political and religious leaders for Asiwaju Tinubu.
Speaking in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, at a meeting with some youths, students, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), religious leaders, market men and women, Dare said Asiwaju Tinubu is a national leader and distribalised Nigerian who has raised people across all the regions of the federation.
Reacting to agitation in some quarters that the next President should be a young Nigerian, Dare said Asiwaju Tinubu has an eye for youths due to his experience, network, and intellectual capacities.
The minister expressed confidence that the APC candidate would solve the nation’s challenges, if elected next years.
“Thirty-five per cent of those Asiwaju Tinubu has made were picked at younger age as commissioners. They are now in big places. I’m one of the beneficiaries of Asiwaju’s mentorship because he backed me in my political journey and helped my career.
“I’m a product of Asiwaju’s school of thought and I’ve known him for the past 23 years. I served as his Chief of Staff for over seven years. The strength of a leader is derived from the people around him. He has people who can form a team around him and deliver to Nigerians.
“We want continuity. President Buhari has laid the foundation. We need somebody to continue to build the super structure.
“Our meeting today is a stakeholders’ parley with few political leaders present. The purpose is purely APC and for President Buhari to be able to hand over to Asiwaju Tinubu.
“Politics is local. That is why I came back to my route to let them know that we need to work together to support Asiwaju Tinubu. It is important for people to know the reason Asiwaju Tinubu should step in after President Buhari.”
Also, the United Kingdom (UK) chapter of APC Campaign Council has said it would soon begin sensitising people in the European country to encourage their families in Nigeria to vote for Asiwaju Tinubu in 2023.
The council said it would do so through campaign rallies across major cities around the UK, especially those with sizeable Nigerian populations.
According to the UK Office for National Statistics, there were 215,000 Nigerian-born residents in the UK as of 2019.
The council stated this at the weekend when it visited the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Ambassador Sarafa Isola, as part of its plans to build an enduring relationship with the commission.
The council’s delegation was led by the APC UK Chairman Tunde Doherty; the Director- General of the APC UK 2023 Campaign Council, Muyiwa Adesua; with Don Anyiam, Bukola Apena, Deputy DG of the APC UK 2023 Campaign Council, Ifeoma Nwankwo, Secretary APC Diaspora PCC, Ayokunle Agunbiade, Secretary of the Campaign Council and Ayisat Gbajabiamila, CC Director of Media, among others.
Also, the Diaspora Directorate of All Progressives Congress (APC) Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) has said the party will record landslide victory in the 2023 poll because it has massive support from Nigerians.
The Director of Diaspora Directorate, APC Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Mr. Ade Omole, said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja.
Also, the Northwest Contact and Mobilisation Committee for the 2023 electioneering campaign of the APC has predicted that Asiwaju Tinubu will defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, with a large margin in the Northeast.
The Convener of the committee, Muhammad Bello Maisudan, told The Nation that at best, Atiku could get 25 per cent of the votes in the region.
“Under the present situation, Atiku can only win Adamawa, but Shetima will still get 25 per cent votes in Adamawa. Asiwaju Tinubu will get 50 per cent of votes in Taraba, while Tinubu/Shetima will garner all the remaining votes. The entire Borno, Bauchi, Gombe and Yobe states will vote for Asiwaju Tinubu,” he said.
The campaign kick-off is expected on November 1.
In Akwa Ibom, a coalition of students from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District has formally endorsed the presidential and senatorial candidates of Asiwaju Tinubu and Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The students also described as barbaric and laughable the allegation that they were given money for the endorsement.
A communiqué, titled: Tinubu, Akpabio Remain Students’ Choice and Sole Candidates in the 2023 Presidential and Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District Election, issued at the end of their meeting yesterday in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, reads: “Some days ago, The Nation online of October 25, 2022 and other social media spaces were awash with comments on the defamatory remark against Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio by some so-called students of the senatorial district, challenging our noble course…”
“It is a noble act to stand up for students who are seemingly helpless and defenceless. It is also noble to rise to the rescue of a suicidal set of people. However, such acts of nobility, when channeled through careless utterances of wickedness placed with pretense of human face, can only be likened to fixing a golden ring on the snout of a pig.
“For students, who constantly project themselves as leaders of tomorrow, we are shocked at the level of deprivation and degradation which recently characterised words and actions from these individuals.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it constitutes a national and international disgrace when students seeking to become future leaders exhibit huge ignorance regarding the choice of how, when, and whom to lead them, but fall flat to appreciate crumbs at a time when the senatorial district is on an academic wheelchair.
“It is very safe to say that it would be irresponsible for any individual, organisation or group not to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio to be our next President and senator for Akwa Ibom Northwest (Ikot Ekpene Senatrial District) at this critical time of our existence as students.
“Tinubu and Akpabio have become household names in the political lineage of Akwa Ibom State; hence, it will be barbaric for anyone to think we were financially induced, pressured or persuaded to endorse these great leaders of ours.
“For the records, the Coalition of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Students has not met, called, or been bribed by anyone as purported by the so-called students’ leaders.
“May we remind the so-called students’ leaders that we are focused, determined and dedicated to the course for the emergence of Asiwaju Tinubu and Senator Akpabio at the 2023 polls for the betterment of our country and senatorial district and no blackmail can stop this noble cause. Hence, pulling down leaders will never make them one.”
