Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) General Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo have opted for town hall meetings, as a deliberate strategy of the campaign to interact with and explain directly to citizens the policy thrust of their envisaged administration and how the set objectives will be achieved. This is coming on the heels of the party’s decision that its candidates will not participate in the presidential television debates which are being organised by, among others, Africa Independent Television (AIT), owned by a chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Ray Dokpesi.
A statement, signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation in Abuja today said that the town hall meetings kicked off in Lagos today, with a robust interaction between Buhari/Osibanjo and the Organised Private Sector.
Garba Shehu said that the party is compelled to chart this course because of the compelling need to have a person-to-person interactive sessions during which pertinent questions will be posed to the candidates and responses provided.
“Our campaign decided to chart this path because we cannot afford to shy away from the more pressing urgency to have one-on-one interactions with Nigerians through town hall meetings.”
Here is the full text of the statement “The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation wishes to announce the commencement of town hall meetings ahead of the February 14 presidential election.
“Due to the more pressing urgency to have an open interaction with Nigerians, the campaign will be organising town hall meetings in different parts of the country.
“The town hall meetings kicked off today (Monday) in Lagos with a public interaction between the presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, his running mate Professor Yemi Osinbajo and representatives of Organised Private Sector.
“On Tuesday, the town hall meeting will hold in Kano with traders and market associations. Thereafter, the meeting will hold in Benin with labour and civil society leaders.
“The focus of the town hall meeting will then shift to Ibadan where students and youth groups will be engaging General Buhari and Professor Osinbajo, while Enugu and Port Harcourt will follow suit.
“The direction the that the campaign will be moving in the countdown to the election day is to have as many as possible person-to-person interactive sessions for Nigerians to hear directly from the presidential candidate and his running mate.” [myad]
