Buhari begins re-election campaign in Uyo

Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari, will kick off the campaign for his re-election bid on Friday, 28 December in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, made this known on Monday while briefing newsmen in Uyo.

Enang said that the President would be in the state with National Chairman of the party Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and national leaders of the party.

He said that the party would use the opportunity to formally present the party’s flag to APC gubernatorial candidates of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers and Delta states respectively.

“President Muhammadu Buhari, the 2019 Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress will be in Akwa Ibom on December 28 to flag off the 2019 campaign of the APC.

“He will be coming with the National Chairman of the party and the National leaders of the party. The sitting governors of the party and other governorship candidate of the party.

“He will be here to formally launch his campaign and flag off the 2019 Presidential election campaign, “Enang said.

According to him, the campaign will kick off in Akwa Ibom because the state has accepted the President fully and the state is ripe for harvest by the party.

The Presidential Aide also revealed that the party has requested from Akwa Ibom Government permission to use the Akpabio International Stadium.

The Akwa Ibom Government has approved the use of the stadium, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr Monday Uko, has said.

Uko told newsmen in Uyo on Monday, adding that the approval became necessary following the decision by Julius Berger Plc. to recall its staff from their scheduled holiday.

“Following a decision by Julius Berger Plc to recall their staff from their scheduled holiday, the Akwa Ibom Government approved the use of the Nest of Champions Stadium, Uyo for President Muhammadu Buhari’s rally on December 28.

Uko added that all the terms stipulated by government for the use of the facility would be enforced.

He stated that the organisers of the rally were expected to liaise with the stadium management for further details.

The state government had on December 23 issued a statement that it would not approve the use of the stadium for the presidential rally due to the Nigeria Premier League matches billed to be played at the stadium, when the competition begins next year. 

“It is public facility, a collective heritage of the Akwa Ibom people, Buhari is the President of Nigeria and nobody can restrain him from the use of certain facility anywhere in the country.

“The president has been fair and kind to Akwa Ibom people, ” Enang said.