The All Progressive Congress (APC) says its presidential candidate, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will not dance to the tune of political adversaries who organise debates or town hall meetings.
The party’s National Vice-Chairman in the Southwest geopolitical zone, Mr Isaac Kekemeke, made the declaration on Sunday in Akure when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said Tinubu was not afraid of engaging any of his political opponents in debates, but as a strategist, he is too experienced to allow his competitors to dictate the pace of events for him.
Kekemeke added that the APC’s presidential candidate has his own strategies, which are far superior to, and more rewarding than those of his adversaries.
“Your adversaries have gathered to beat the drum and you want to walk in and dance to it?
“That’s not wise. You don’t go to the house of your political adversary and allow him to dictate the tune.
“When the time comes, Asiwaju will be open to debates. We all know how hardworking he has been about his campaign. He was at Chatham House, London, making his case to Nigerians abroad.
“His wife is busy making his case. His son is busy making his case. The governors are busy making his case. I’m busy making his case and everyone that believes in him is making his case.
“If he can talk to Nigerians directly, why should he debate with innocuous pretenders?
“It will just make some people important; people who have no base; they have nothing to offer and you’re now debating with them, You will be making them to feel important,’’ Kekemeke told NAN.
According to him, participating in town hall meetings organised by political adversaries will amount to a mere waste of time when there are many important things to do.
Going directly to the electorate that will deliver the votes on Election Day is more profitable, he argued.
Kekemeke explained that that was why Tinubu, in his wisdom, chose to go to the Nigerian people directly rather than allowing some funny people to gate-keep and waylay him.
“Tinubu is definitely not running away from any debate,’’ the APC chieftain stressed.
The national vice-chairman described Tinubu as wise, smart, strategic and calculating and added that the presidential candidate would not allow his political foes to set the agenda for him in any guise.
He noted that if elected, Tinubu would create a country of prosperity; a country of peace where there would be ample job opportunities for youths.
According to him, Tinubu will turn Nigeria to a country where entrepreneurs can fully realise themselves, a restructured country of justice, equity and fairness.
While stressing that Tinubu and the APC were not perturbed by negative and unguarded statements by adversaries, Kekemeke said the party’s presidential candidate could not be pulled down “because he is a focused man’’.
He said Tinubu would not be discouraged by those who spoke against him, but would be encouraged by those who spoke in his favour.
“Tinubu doesn’t dance to music played by others; he plays his own music and dances to it.
“What he is saying is that he can do better for Nigeria than what he did for Lagos State and that he has enough strength to do this.
“They say he is old, but Joe Biden (America’s president) is older. They say he is old, but Donald Trump (a former American President) was older when he took office.
“They say he is old, but Nelson Mandela (South Africa’s deceased president) was older when he became president. Back home, Awolowo and Azikiwe were older when they contested in 1983.
“The old man is going to everywhere from Gbaramatu in the Niger Delta to Kano; from Ebonyi to Lagos, but the people that are not old cannot be found anywhere,’’ he stressed.
The party’s national vice-chairman urged the electorate, particularly in the Southwest, to cast their votes en-masse for Tinubu, saying the opportunity might not come again in the next two decades.
“We have our own that is competent and intelligent. We must not make the mistake we made in the past.
“Sixty per cent to 70 per cent votes for Asiwaju are not enough. We must rally round him and give him at least 90 per cent of our votes.
“Let us do for Asiwaju what people of the Northwest did for Muhammadu Buhari in 2011, 2015 and 2019.
“The people of the Northwest stood with President Buhari since his foray into politics. They delivered an average of 70 per cent votes for him in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and in 2019,’’ Kekemeke stressed.
