The Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum and Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Moh Lukman has called for the adoption of Lagos State Campaign model of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the forth coming Edo State Governorship Election for all round victory at the polls on September 19.
The APC Chieftain in a statement titled “Progressive Politics – Which Way APC?” in Abuja on Friday also said but for the APC, Governor Godwin Obaseki would have no claim to any achievement, arguing that whatever achievements recorded by the Governor were products of the enabling environment created by the party in the state.
Lukman said for the desired results in Edo State, the party should adopt the campaign model of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos State that has continued to positively market the party and any candidate presented for elections since 2007.
“Lagos State Governorship election since 2007 present a good model. Without any doubt, our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, may be argued to be very influential in the emergence of candidates, from Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode to our current Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. But once a candidate emerges, the responsibility of executing the campaign largely belong to the candidate on account of which the particular candidate become the face of the campaign.
“If our party want Edo people to vote for our candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu must be very visible and be seen as the face of the campaign.”
The PGF boss also want the party to change campaign narratives stressing that but for the party, Obaseki would not have recorded any meaningful achievement.
According to Lukman, “APC has ruled Edo State since the time of Comrade Oshiomhole as Governor of the state. Up to today, whatever achievement Edo State experienced under Governor Obaseki, between 2016 and now, APC must own it.
“Anything Governor Obaseki is able to achieve must be credited to APC as a party. Our Edo campaign should be able raise the awareness of Edo people that had Governor Obaseki been in PDP, it would have been impossible for him to record any achievement.”
Lukman also called on the Governor Abudullahi Umar Ganduje led National Campaign Council for Edo election to assume leadership and take the necessary steps to redirect the Edo State APC campaign to have a clear progressive bearing.
He said, “the committee should ensure that APC campaign messages appropriate all development achievements recorded under the APC administration of Governor Obaseki. In addition, we must take steps to also cut the oxygen supply to PDP campaign, which is presenting our party and our candidate as promoters of violence. Our campaign for the Edo election should therefore amplify messages of peace and what we need to do to achieve that.” (The Nation)
