President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday offered what could be termed as a winning strategy, cautioning the All Progressive Congress APC campaign council against concentrating their campaign activities in Abuja.
Buhari who is billed to hand over the baton of leadership to a new political dispensation in seven months advised the campaign council that it must work to establish the connection between the voting public and the presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, including other candidates for elective offices throughout Nigeria in 2023.
Buhari said the real battle lies not in Abuja but in far-flung places, in over 8000 wards and the 774 local government councils.
Buhari, represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari made these comments while inaugurating the women’s wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.
His words, “As this launch is being hosted in Abuja, we must remember that the real war lies in far-flung places away from Abuja. The task ahead lies in over 8000 wards and 774 local governments across the country, where party faithful will have to make a case before fellow citizens on our party’s candidate articulating the vision and the programme for the country.
“The campaign, therefore, should recede the temptation for it to be turned into an Abuja-centric activity but establish the connection between the voting public and our presidential candidate, and for other candidates for offices throughout Nigeria, that should be the ultimate objective”.
While underscoring the invaluable role women play in electioneering activities, Buhari went down memory lane, describing how the First Lady acted as a strong pillar of support and voice for women as well as our youth in the 2015 and 2019 elections that brought him to power.
He said her unwavering commitment to mobilizing women significantly influenced APC’s victories in the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections, stressing that such great feats could not have been possible without the support of women of our party.
” I will also like to thank the wife of the Vice President, the wives of APC governors, and indeed all our women leaders at all levels for their tireless efforts and support.
“It is also very important that I take some time on portraits that give credibility and importance as to why we are gathered here today at the launch of such a critical organ of our party as we look forward to the 2023 general elections.
“In the 2015 general elections, about 3.6 million housewives voted in the presidential election. And this figure ranks third next to about 4.4 million students in the 2019 general elections. Women accounted for 47 percent, almost 40 million of the 84 million registered voters throughout the nation.
“We must continuously co-opt and make a significant inroad into these demographic and voting segments.
“The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently made a projection that Nigeria’s voting population could be as much as 95 million for the 2023 general elections. For statisticians in the room, you can imagine what that means in terms of potential votes that women could bring to the table, “Buhari stated through his representative, Prof Gambari.
Present at the inauguration ceremony were, the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima; the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; First Lady Aisha Buhari; wives of the candidate and his running mate, Senator Remi Tinubu and Mrs Nana Shettima.
Others were the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Governor Simon Lalong; Governors Hope Uzodinma (Imo); Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, Abdullahi Ganduje; Women Leader of the APC, Beta Edu; National Assembly members and others.
Tinubu while welcoming the participants, took a swipe at the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP, saying they reigned for 16 years without sorting the challenges associated with power generation in Nigeria, forgetting that it was an indispensable tool for productivity.
He said with the Tinubu-Shettima candidacy in the 2023 general election, Nigerians should rest assured of an end to banditry, kidnapping and poverty.
Tinubu also promised that new hope was in the offering for Nigerians, one that would ensure peace, security and economic prosperity.