2023 Presidency: Buhari boasts of APC, Tinubu’s victory
…Says APC lucky to have Tinubu as flagbearer
…We have the most sellable product in market — Ribadu
…We have not endorsed Tinubu — PFN
By Moses Adeniyi
President Muhammadu Buhari has taken a boastful turn expressing confidence that his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will emerge winner in the forthcoming 2023 General Elections.
Buhari in an interview in the United Kingdom after meeting with His Royal Majesty, King Charles III in Buckingham Palace on Wednesday said his party, APC, is lucky to have Tinubu as its presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
On the chances of the APC in the 2023 polls, Buhari said, “What are the chances of my party not winning the election? We are going to win the election.
“Tinubu, the presidential candidate, a very well-known politician in the country, he was a two-term governor in Lagos State, the most resourceful state and the most visited state. So, I think the party is lucky to get him to be the candidate.”
…We have the most sellable product in market – Ribadu
This is just as former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, a member of the ruling party has described the 2023 presidential election as a walk over for Tinubu.
Although Ribadu who is Director, Directorate of Stakeholder Relations at the APC Presidential Campaign Council APC-PCC, on Thursday in Abuja during the inauguration of the 132-member directorate, boasted of Tinubu’s victory, he however, warned that the ruling party should not leave chances for opposition to take a ride.
“Luckily for us, our job is cut out for us. We have the most sellable product in the market today. There is no one candidate out there who is better than our own.
“Asiwaju Tinubu is an accomplished human being and a thoroughbred administrator and maverick politician. He has something to show from his glowing antecedents, he will not learn on the job.
“He also has a wide network of friends and associates everywhere in Nigeria, which makes our job of outreach very much easier. Though this election is literally a walk over for us, we should not leave anything to chances.
“However, we should not under-rate our opponents. We should work assiduously to make the margin of winning too wide that the victory will be massive and sweet,” Ribadu said.
Atiku Abubakar – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Peter Obi – Labour Party (LP); and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples party (NNPP) are among the leading presidential candidates contesting the presidency seat against Tinubu in the 2023 election.
…We have not endorsed Tinubu – PFN
Meanwhile as political support builds up for Tibunu, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Thursday, said it has not yet given endorsement to Tinubu the presidential candidate of APC, saying its earlier stand against Muslim-Muslim Presidential candidacy subsists.
PFN disclosed this at its National Executive Council meeting, which was held at its National Secretariat at Asiwani, Lagos State.
PFN National Deputy President, Archbishop John Daniel, speaking to journalists shortly after the meeting, for the last quarter of the year, said the recent meeting by the Northern Christian leaders with the APC Presidential candidate, should not be interpreted as an endorsement of PFN for the Tinubu/Shettima candidacy.
“As for the meeting with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu by some Bishops from the Northern part of the country, it was a meeting just to listen to his programmes and not for endorsement. This was clearly stated and that was it,” he said.
Maintaining that its stand remain unshaken against Muslim-Muslim ticket, the body charged its members to look out for credibility, reliability and capacity in the choice for a candidate.
According to him, the body is still praying and consulting towards the election and will come out with its final resolution at the right time.
“As a body, we have been praying for a peaceful general election and that everybody should take responsibility by getting their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) and be strategically prepared to vote for candidates who have the capacity, integrity and credibility to move the nation forward.
“We have not changed our stand because we are still part of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and we are still frowning at the Muslim-Muslim ticket as we believe that the church can vote for candidates that are credible and competent.
“Remember that our president, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, addressed a press conference recently where he clarified that we are looking beyond just what it is but for competence and people that can move the country forward.
“The church frowns at the Muslim-Muslim ticket but we believe this is not a dead end and we are yet to come up and say this is the person we should vote for because we are still consulting and praying,” he said.
