2023: No Alternative to APC’s Victory – Buhari
By Ozumi Abdul
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday told members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, that there will not be any alternative to the party’s victory in the 2023 general elections.
President Buhari, who is the Chairman of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, also advised party faithful to take their campaigns to the 8000 electoral wards and the 774 local government areas across the country and not to be gathering in Abuja.
Speaking when he inaugurated the Tinubu-Shettima Women Campaign Team at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President said the Women Campaign Team was the most crucial component of the APC’s 2023 campaign.
He said, “To this end, I call on all members of this committee to take up this great responsibility as a testament of your selfless service to the APC.
“I strongly believe that this committee will take the APC to greater heights by developing and implementing a collective and inclusive party’s strategy to ensure APC victory in the 2023 election because there is no alternative to our victory.”
President Buhari, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari further said, “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.”
While lauding the APC Women Campaign Team led by his wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, he commended the leadership of the party, “for showcasing the value and importance of our women and youth from all the geo-political zones of our great nation to the political process through the establishment of the committee.”
He also said, “I am proud of the exemplary role that the First Lady has played as a strong pillar of support and voice for our women as well as our youth. Her unwavering commitment to mobilizing women significantly influenced our party’s victories in the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections.
“These great feats could not have been achieved without the support of women of our party. I will also like to thank the wife of 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 times 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.
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“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 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.
“Counting today, we are left with approximately 137 days before the Presidential and National Assembly elections, which is scheduled for the 25th of February, 2023. Out of the 36 states of the federation, 30 states will be holding their gubernatorial elections on the 11th of March. The mission that lays ahead of the committee is very clear and time is not on your side.
“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.”
President Buhari said throughout his political journey and his tenure as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, women have remained the most loyal and supportive group in his mission for a better Nigeria despite the challenges.
“They should extend this same support to our presidential candidate, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Vice Presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima,” he advised.
Continuing, the President said, “As we prepare for the 2023 general elections, my administration has continued to listen to the strong voices of our women for gender justice, social inclusion, and adequate participation in the affairs of their country and in accordance with global, regional, and national conventions, agreements, protocols, and policies to which Nigeria is a signatory.
“It is in this regard that I hereby direct the Honourable Attorney General and Minister of Justice in conjunction with Honourable Minister of Women Affairs to work closely with the Office of the First Lady in ensuring that important legislations that can be brought before the National Assembly in furtherance of entrenching constitutional change and legal change and creating a level playing field for our women to be carried out assiduously.”
