Buhari, Tinubu to meet on vexed campaign issues

The return of the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has lightened up the political atmosphere in the ruling party.

Tinubu travelled about a fortnight ago to the United Kingdom for undisclosed reasons. He was away for 12 days.

While the former Lagos State governor was away, there were rumours about the state of his health and controversies about his campaign organisation.

Though series of photographs were released by his handlers to dispel rumours, members of his party, the APC and his Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), were apprehensive that his long absence could affect the fortunes of his campaign.

A top party source who spoke to Saturday Sun, said series of meetings have been scheduled by Tinubu’s men with the leadership of the party, aggrieved former presidential candidates and President Muhammadu Buhari, before the official kick-off of the campaigns.

The source said Tinubu had to return to the country to dispel rumours about his health and also put his divided house in order

He said the campaign organisation is running against time to address key challenges threatening the successful take-off of the campaign soon.

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He said during Tinubu’s meeting with President Buhari, the pending National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the APC, where key decisions are expected to be taken, will be discussed.

“Tinubu had to hurriedly return. His men have been meeting and there was nothing serious they could do in his absence. With his return, issues raised by the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC, will be addressed.

“Aggrieved former presidential aspirants and members of the National Assembly will be met by Tinubu. He will also meet with governors elected on the platform of the APC, President Buhari and his men running his campaign organisation.

“If these things are not put in place, the campaign can’t take-off successfully. We will see serious action from next week,” the source said.

Meanwhile, there are fears among some leaders and members of APC that the party’s presidential bid could run into troubled waters soon, following the judgment by a high court voiding the candidacy of the governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Speaking on the legal implications of the judgment, a constitutional lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, expressed fear that the presidential candidate of the APC and other candidates of the party might face similar fate.

 

He said: “It is a plague that could have been avoided if only they took my position on Governor Buni’s chairmanship misadventures serious. But the judgement has vindicated me.”

Ajulo, on July 31, 2021, while reacting to the pronouncement of the Supreme Court on the Ondo 2020 election, in which Governor Rotimi Akeredolu escaped being sacked as governor narrowly, had warned the APC of unforeseen circumstances if Governor Mai Mala Buni continued his duties as the then Caretaker Chairman of the party.

But the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Felix Morka, a lawyer, dismissed the fears being expressed as highly misplaced.

Morka expressed confidence that the judgment of the High Court would be set aside by the Court of Appeal.