President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was conspicuously absent at the flag-off of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship campaign on Monday in Lokoja, the state capital.
The ruling party had last week said the president would lead the campaign flag off alongside other chieftains of the party, including Umar Ganduje, APC National Chairman, and Yahaya Bello, the governor of the state.
Kingsley Fanwo, a spokesman for the APC said in a statement that Tinubu would be present during the event.
The statement said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the National Leader of the party, His Excellency Alhaji Dr Umar Ganduje, the National Chairman of our great party; Prince Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun State and Chairman, APC National Campaign Council for Kogi Governorship Election, shall be leading other leaders of the party, esteemed members of our party and the general public to the epoch-making event to start our journey to victory on November 11, 2023.
“The ultra-modern Mohammadu Buhari Square, Lokoja, one of the aesthetic beauties of the GYB administration, will play host to the event, starting from 10 am.
“The Kogi State APC Governorship Campaign Council has put modalities in place to ensure a hitch-free Flagoff Rally.
“On Sunday, the 8th of October, 2023, our party will make a big statement ahead of the election as Kogi remains APC and APC is Kogi State.”
The president was however absent today, as the campaign was flagged off by Vice President Kassim Shettima in Lokoja, the state capital.
Speaking, Shettima who represented the president at the event urged the people of the state to vote for the party’s governorship candidate, Usman Ododo, saying this will ensure the continuity of the development the outgoing governor, Bellp, brought to the state within eight years of his administration.
Political pundits however said the president may have chosen not to attend the event due to rigour which could affect his health.
Apart from Kogi, the party is also expected to flag off its campaign for the Imo and Bayelsa states governorship elections in a few days.
It’s not yet clear whether the president, who has scarcely been seen at events since his national broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 63rd independence on October 1, will attend his political party campaigns in both states.
