The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, shunned the presidential candidates’ town hall meeting organised by Arise TV to discuss plans ahead of the 2023 elections.
JomogNews reports that Tinubu shunned the Town hall Meeting to attend a birthday party of an Elder statesman, Col. Sani Bello (rtd).
The former Governor of Lagos State also refused to send his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, to represent him as he has done on other occasions.
While the APC Presidential candidate was absent, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, who is out of the country, was represented by his running mate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
Giving reasons for his absence at the town hall meeting in a statement on Sunday night, the Chief Spokesman of the APC PCC, Festus Keyamo, said Tinubu failed to attend the event because he does not want to be unfair and selective in appearing on radio and television networks.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment stated that Tinubu’s busy and hectic campaign schedules will not permit him to attend debates organised by different radio and TV televisions.
However, the APC presidential candidate found time to attend the 80th birthday celebration of Elder statesman, Col. Sani Bello (rtd), who is the father of Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, at the International Conference Center.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu attends the 80th birthday of Elder Statesman, Col Sani Bello rtd ( the father of Niger State Governor, Governor Sani Bello) at the International Conference Center pic.twitter.com/Hf8mPpUcv5
— Daddy D.O🇳🇬 (@DOlusegun) November 6, 2022
Why Tinubu was absent at debate – APC campaign council
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress Campaign Council on Sunday night justified the absence of its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, saying the debate clashed with his engagements.
According to the Director of Media and Communications, Bayo Onanuga, he said that the debate clashed with Tinubu’s campaign town hall meeting with agro-farmers in Minna, Niger State capital, The PUNCH reports.
Onanuga made reference to the APC presidential campaign calendar to justify his position.
He said, “We are in Minna now for engagement with farmers and agro-commodities groups ahead of tomorrow. The media cannot suddenly come up with a debate and wants us to drop everything we are doing to attend it. It is wrong. We also have our campaign schedule to attend to.”
