2023: Why Governor Buni Must Be Visible In Tinubu, Shettima Campaign Train

By: James Bwala

Yobe state residents and party stakeholders claimed that governor Mai Mala Buni, through his numerous accomplishments, has conquered Yobe state. As a result, they said, the party at the national level needs a strong individual who has turned around the party’s fortunes while serving as its caretaker chairman Extra-Ordinary.

NEWSng reports that the party’s constituents and stakeholders are urging the Tinubu and Shetima campaign team to make the most of governor Buni’s influence and advantages during their outings.

“Because of the successes he achieved while serving as the party’s leader, we think governor Buni represents hope. In order to guarantee the party’s complete triumph in the subsequent election in 2023, we thus want to see him more actively participating in the Tinubu, Kashim Shettima team.” Yobe resident and party supporter Mohammed Karasuwa told NEWSng in Damaturu.

According to many who have followed governor Mai Mala Buni’s actions while serving as the All-Progressive Congress, APC, Caretakers Extra-Ordinary Chairman prior to the election that brought about the current management of the party, the Yobe state governor has done a fantastic job of keeping the party together and winning over many disgruntled members through his strong negotiating abilities.

‘Many people believed that Governor Buni should be visible everywhere on the Tinubu-Shettima train, and the questions were causing discussion in political circles.’ Mohammed said.

Another APC supporter, who goes by the name John Atiyaye, told NEWSng that while they are conscious of the weighty obligations governor Buni bears, they also think that his presence on campaign platforms is crucial since he serves as a think tank for the Tinubu, Shettima campaign team.

NEWSng however reports that governor Buni has been present constantly since he left the party secretariat, despite the fact that he was also busy advancing the campaign from Yobe state’s front lines. Aswaj Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, invited the governor to his presidential campaign council as an adviser on party integration and reconciliation.

While the tide was in favor of the APC, many locals believed that the governor of Yobe state needed to be on the national front right now as part of the campaign train to guarantee the party’s victory. They believe that by having governor Buni’s face on the APC Presidential campaign team, the campaign will take a dramatic turn because many people who haven’t seen much of him won’t be able to comprehend the strategy he was pursuing to win the party’s support in the upcoming general elections in 2023.

Numerous people who spoke with NEWSng claimed that Buni has a wealth of negotiation and bargaining skills and is well-liked in all 36 states due to his effective performance as party chairman. They believed that his inclusion in the campaign team would benefit the party much in its effort to demonstrate the power of its cohesion.

“We think Yobe state is already under Mai Mala Buni’s control. We believe he doesn’t need to run for office because Yobe State is already a one-party state, and that party is the APC. As a result, his focus should be on being visible as the campaign team works to promote Tinubu and Shettima’s candidacy in order to assure their success.” said Umar Umar, a member of the APC campaign team.

According to him, governor Mai Mala Buni’s experience should be applied to the campaign fronts, which is one of the numerous justifications for the governor’s inclusion throughout the Tinubu and Shettima campaign train.

READ ALSO: https://newsng.ng/reuters-mercenary-journalism-and-nigerian-military/

“I understand that to be appointed adviser is to give room for strategic planning and Buni’s experience is quite noted by the APC Presidential candidate Bola Tinubu even as he (Tinubu) said, ‘the choice of Buni as adviser was necessitated by his impressive political achievement and exemplary leadership as governor and party member”” Umar added

Recall that the former APC National Leader’s letter, dated August 8, 2022, contained information about Buni’s appointment, “This letter is to officially announce your appointment as the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council’s adviser on party integration and reconciliation. Given your tremendous political accomplishments and the excellent leadership you have displayed in your roles as governor of your state and as a party member, this appointment is acceptable and fitting.

“We are pleased that you have joined our campaign team,” it continued. We run a successful, message-driven campaign, which will help us win the 2023 presidential election because we are confident that you will give your all to this new responsibility. By leveraging the successes of our party and the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari(rtd), we can not only assure our party’s win in the elections of February 2023, but we can also advance Nigeria toward greatness as a nation.” The letter reads in part.

Ali Idi Ahmadu, an analyst, said that under governor Buni’s leadership of the APC, there was a collective zeal of recovering, repositioning, and rejuvenating the party to have a strong, stable, and united APC. The analyst was speaking on the achievements of the governor at the party level and why he may be a secret weapon for the Tinubu, Shettima Campaign Train.

As we go closer to the general election in 2023, he declared, “This is a vital time. A successful general election would be greatly aided by the presence of governor Buni. We are proud of Buni for the outstanding accomplishments the party has made under his leadership in bridging the divides amongst our stakeholders in Gombe, Ogun, Kwara, and many other states.”

He claims that governor Buni has diligently been to states where APC is having difficulties and addressed those issues head-on. “Therefore, it is crucial for the party’s success to always see Governor Buni’s face on the campaign train in order to promote the unity and strength of the party.” The party currently proudly claims over 41 million members, making APC Africa’s largest political party and Nigeria’s leading party,’ he continued, “it was under Buni that a successful membership registration and revalidation process was achieved.

“APC continued to be the party that can confidently win elections with a landslide victory in all of the national elections thanks to its numerical strength. Despite all the successes the party has recorded under his leadership and the high-profile defections into the party, we haven’t seen much of him in the current campaigns. However, in order to have a unified, stable, and successful political party, it was imperative that the party promote the ideas of unity of purpose, pursuing national interests over personal interests, and a functional system of internal democracy.” He said.

2023: Why Governor Buni Must Be Visible In Tinubu, Shettima Campaign Train