Ogun Politics: Buhari Ready to Support APM’s Akinlade But Will Campaign for APC Candidate, Says Garba Shehu

Segun Atanda/

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his readiness to support candidates from other parties while campaigning for his party’s candidate, says his spokesman, Alhaji Garba Shehu.

Defending the President’s action of hosting the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate in Ogun State, Mr Abdulkadir Adekunle Akinlade and his godfather, Governor Ibikunle Amosun in Abuja today, Shehu explained that President Buhari, who is the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate in the forthcoming general elections, will campaign for the party and all its candidates, but he is ready to support candidates from other parties.

Shehu’s statement reads: “Following repeated media enquiries on the matter, the Presidency wishes to state in clear and unmistakable terms that as a party leader and a candidate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming elections, President Muhammadu Buhari will campaign for the party and all its candidates.

“This, however, does not mean that he, as the nation’s leader, will decline courtesy calls or offers of support from citizens including candidates flying the flags of other parties.

“There is no doubt that the President has no competition here in terms of popularity in the coming elections. But the more support he gets, the wider the margin of victory there will be.

“So please let there be no confusion about this. President Buhari is APC. He will campaign for all APC candidates, but he welcomes support and endorsements.’’

Amosun had earlier in December met with Buhari at the Presidential Villa accompanied by the APM National Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle.

Amosun, at the meeting, presented a letter of adoption of the President by APM as the party’s presidential candidate in the forthcoming February 16 general elections.

The governor said the endorsement letter was given to him by the party for onward presentation to the president, adding that with the endorsement, Buhari, whom he described as a man with good heart, would garner massive votes in the 2019 presidential elections.

The President and his visitors, at the end of today’s visit, had a group photograph where they all demonstrated the “4 + 4’’ symbol with their fingers, meaning another four years for governing APC in Presidential Villa.

Amosun’s ‘consensus’ candidates for the governorship election (Akinlade) and state assembly elections are contesting under the banner of APM.

But, the governor is contesting for the Ogun Central senatorial seat as a candidate of the APC.