Presidential Election: Tinubu campaign mulls alliance with smaller parties

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Post created on 9:09 am

 

 

Ahead of the February 25 presidential election, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council is planning an alliance with smaller parties in a bid to boost the chances of its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The PUNCH gathered that the PCC and the party had been making overtures to the parties to adopt Tinubu as their standard bearer.

Findings indicated the APC governors and Tinubu met on Monday night following fears expressed by some members on the need to address inadequacies in the party’s presidential campaign.

It was learnt that APC Presidential Campaign Council, comprising governors and the candidate, was of the view that the alliance with other parties would assist the party in getting the highest number of votes and the required national spread in the presidential poll.

A member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Adesoji Akanbi confirmed to The PUNCH on Tuesday that the APC was looking beyond the Peoples Democratic Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party and the Labour Party, noting that deals could be reached with the smaller parties to adopt Tinubu.

Recall that Tinubu had been wooing the Peoples Democratic Party G-5 governors comprising Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

But despite holding several meetings with them, the PDP governors have failed to endorse the ex-Lagos State governor amid the threat of sanctions by their party.

Also, the apathy exhibited by many APC chieftains, former presidential aspirants and ministers to Tinubu’s ambition which was reflected in their refusal to participate in his campaigns, is also reportedly causing apprehension in the ruling party.

But in a move to rejig his campaigns and bolster his prospect, the presidential candidate held a meeting with some APC governors in Abuja on Tuesday.

Speaking about their plan to prevail on several parties to adopt the APC standard bearer, Akanbi, a member of the Election Planning and Monitoring Committee of the APC-PPC and its coordinator in the South-West, said the negotiations were already ongoing in Oyo State, urging APC leaders in other states to adopt the strategy.

The former lawmaker, who is also the Chairman, Strategy and Policy, Tinubu-Shettima Independent Campaign Council said, “We are reaching out to Accord (Party) members, Social Democratic Party and other political parties to vote for Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the presidential election.”

“Seeking defectors (to the APC) is too late now; that will not work, that is like time-wasting. That can happen voluntarily. What we are selling to them is the product – Bola Ahmed Tinubu – for president.

“They should come out and support him for this reason and that reason so that they can have a president that can deliver.’’