By Ukpono Ukpong
President Muhammad Buhari has said that there is no alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) winning the forthcoming Presidential election in Nigeria.
Buhari said this yesterday at the official inauguration of the APC Women Presidential Campaign Committee held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, President Buhari said that the inauguration of APC Women Presidential Campaign Committee is the most crucial component of the 2023 campaign.
Buhari said he was proud of the value the First Lady, Aisha Buhari who had played key role in the victory of the party, especially in the 2015 and 2019 with the support of the women of the party.
“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.
“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.
“The inauguration of APC Women Presidential Campaign Committee today is the most crucial component of the 2023 campaign. 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.”
On his part, the Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, assured Nigerians that the new hope for Nigerians is coming very soon in his candidacy.
Tinubu, who thanked the women for their support, urged them to give their best and ensure the party’s victory in the general elections in 2023.
The APC candidate said “a new hope has come for Nigeria,” even as he emphasised that a nation is not just built on abusive language.
He, however, lambasted the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for plundering the nation for 16 years, for making Nigeria indebted for 16 years, adding that all they could give was 16 years of backwardness, underdeveloped.
“They are looters,” he said, urging the women that they should tell the opposition that “a new hope is here.”
Also speaking, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said there is “a new hope for Nigeria,” noting that the party will soon unveil their strategy.
Adamu urged the women to vote for APC and that they were more than encouraged with the women’s support, assuring that “we will give you the encouragement.”
He boasted that President Buhari will hand over power to APC candidate in 2023.
On her part, the Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari who inaugurated the team, tasked women to participate enmass and ensure the victory of APC’s candidate in 2023.
The First Lady, Aisha Buhari who inaugurated the Women PCC, said since 2015, women have changed the pattern of election in Nigeria.
“They have led to the success of our party in election. Today, we thank God as we meet to inaugurate the women Presidential Campaign Team; while men are in the front of war women are the foot soldiers gearing the success of election,” she said.
She asked that the women and the party leadership should sign a compact, stressing, “Our winning stretch remains unbroken.”
Also at the event were the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima; National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; First Lady Aisha Buhari; wives of the candidate and his running mate, Senator Remi Tinubu and Mrs Nana Shettima.
Others were the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Governor Simon Lalong; Governors Hope Uzodinma (Imo); Abdullahi Ganduje; Women Leader of the APC, Beta Edu; other leaders of the party; National Assembly members and others.
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