President Muhammadu Buhari Monday warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against concentrating campaigns ahead of the 2023 elections in Abuja.
The President said this at the inauguration of the Tinubu-Shettima Women Presidential Campaign Team at the State House in Abuja.
He said the the real war lies in far flung places away from the Federal Capital Territory.
The President, who was represented by Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, described women as his “most loyal and supportive” allies.
“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 resit 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.
“Women have remained the most loyal and supportive group in my mission for a better Nigeria despite the challenges. They should extend this same support to our presidential candidate, Senator Bola Tinubu, and Vice-Presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima,” he said.
He said APC women must be diligent in selling the Tinubu-Shettima candidacy to the citizens by articulating the party’s vision for the country.
“Considering the strategic role women have played in APC victories, we call on you once again to begin organizing and mobilizing vigorously the electorate at all levels for APC victory at the 2023 polls through the committee in an inclusive and cooperative manner,” he said.
The President described inauguration of the APC Women Presidential Campaign Committee as the most crucial component of the 2023 campaign, and called on “all members of this committee to take up this great responsibility as a testament of your selfless service to the APC.”
Citing available figures which put women at 47 percent (almost 40 million of the 84 million) registered voters nationwide, the President said: “We must continuously co-opt and make significant inroad into these demographics and voting segments.
“Counting today, we are left with approximately 137 days before the Presidential and National Assembly elections, which are scheduled for February 25, 2023.
“Out of the 36 states of the federation, 30 states will be holding their governorship elections on March 11. The mission that lays ahead of the committee is very clear and time is not on your side.”
Also speaking, the APC presidential flagbearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, described the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as a “political party of termites.”
“They are a political party of termites. They are in the village of lunacy. A nation is not just built on abusive language. 16 years of nothingness, rudderlessness, digging the hole of indebtedness. Never again shall they come back. A new hope is here.
“To you women who are gathered here today. I’m so proud of you. You have chosen to vote for us and to give us a new Nigeria, thank you,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, urged women to avoid character assassination, hate speech and propaganda.
He urged them to promote issues-based campaigns.
“Leave that to the opposition and stay with the achievements of our party in women empowerment and also tell them that under the Presidency of Bola Tinubu, Nigerian women and their children will have an even better deal,” he said.
He urged the women to “go all over Nigeria particularly into the grassroots and sell the agenda and vision of Candidate Bola Tinubu and his running mate Senator Kashim Shettima whose pedigree for women empowerment is widely known.”
He said the presidential campaign council would monitor the activities of Tinubu/Shettima Women Presidential Campaign Team to ensure that the general objectives of the PCC and the party are achieved.
In his remarks, national chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said with the support of women support, the APC would win the forthcoming elections.
The wife of the APC Presidential Candidate and Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, said the Tinubu-Shettima presidency would be the “best option” for Nigerian women.
“The track record of both men (Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima) are gender sensitive,” she said.
She also called on the women to mobilise votes for the APC flagbearer in their various constituencies.
Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, called on the APC flagbearer to allocate 40 per cent of appointments to women if he wins the the elections next year.
She said with women occupying 40 per cent of appointive positions, the country would be set for a balanced leadership.
