Group warns presidential contestants against campaign of calumny

A group, Nationwide Movement for Asiwaju Presidency (NMAP), has urged Nigerians not to succumb to negative propaganda of the opponents against the aspiration of the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the 2023 general elections.

National Co-ordinator of the group, Tunde Tumionu, who spoke with The Guardian, said instead of trying to devalue the character of any particular candidate, politicians should face issues and also look critically at the track records of all the presidential candidates to form their arguments.

APC (All Progressive Congress) Flag (Photo by Kola Sulaimon / AFP)

The Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadanland, Amidu Ajibade, while receiving the group during a courtesy visit to his residence for support and blessings, said the situation of the country called for a leader that would further strengthen Nigeria’s unity.

MEANWHILE, a South-West socio-political group, Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, yesterday, said either the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or the party’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, are the ones that ought to have stepped down if they are truly sincere about the unity of the country and not the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Alhaji Walid Jibrin.

The group in a statement by its President, Akin Malaolu, said: “The genesis of the PDP crisis was the political tricks perpetrated by mostly leaders in the North to return power back again to themselves after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari in office. This was the crux of the disputes. The little tinkering that took place at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which was to address all issues in dispute, can only take the party further into the bush. We are worried about the consequences of power returning to the North because it will be at the expense of peace and harmonious relationship within our diversity.

Also reacting to Governor Seyi Makinde’s rejection of the chairmanship position of the PDP’s Governors Forum offered to him, the forum commended his position, saying he (Makinde) acted true to his father’s name and principled Yoruba man.

According to the forum, what the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) did was an insult to the South for the northern stakeholders to think that whatever they offered the southern people is what they would take.