The All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated its Women Wing Presidential campaign team with the presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, and the party National Chairman, Senator Abdullah Adamu, at the presidential villa on Monday.
President Muhammadu Buhari was, however, absent at the event.
ALSO READ: 2023: Endorse Tinubu openly or resign, APC chieftain tells Ngige
Checks by QUEST TIMES reveals that the president was invited but the event coincided with his schedule to attend the investiture ceremony of Mahamat Idriss Itno as President of the Transitional Team in the Republic of Chad for two years.
According to a statement signed by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the ceremony will hold at the capital, N’Djamena, which “will further accentuate negotiations on peaceful and harmonious return to the democratic process in the country, following the passing of the former President, Idriss Itno in April 2021,” the statement read in part.
A source told QUEST TIMES that the president could easily have sent a representative to represent him at the Chadian presidential inauguration since his party’s brass will be having an event in Aso Rock on the same day.
ALSO READ: 2023: ‘Why CAN, PFN should resist same faith ticket’
The source wonders if the president is truly committed to Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 elections.
Only recently, Buhari’s Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, could not openly campaign for the APC candidate on a live television programme.
Buhari was said to have sent his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, to represent him at the inauguration of the Women campaign committee.
In attendance at the inauguration of the APC women campaign wing is the Director General, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State.
Nigeria’s first Lady, Aisha Buhari, was last week announced as the grand patron of the women’s wing of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Team.
Tinubu’s wife and three term senator representing Lagos Central and the wife of vice presidential candidate, Nana Shettima, will serve as chairman and co-Chairman respectively.
The women wing presidential campaign team comprising over 1,200 women drawn from across the country is said to be a boost to the party’s quest for equitable gender representation in the electioneering process.