2023: Tinubu Absent As Atiku ,Obi, Other Presidential Aspirants Sign Peace Accord

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, was absent on Thursday as the presidential candidates of other political parties were physically present for the signing of the now-customary peace pact.

However, Tinubu’s running mate, Kashim Shettima, was present at the signing alongside, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party among others.

A report had earlier emerged that the APC candidate is currently in London, United Kingdom.

The initiative was conceived in 2014 in response to emerging threats occasioned by the 2015 general elections.

The peace accord was organised by the National Peace Committee headed by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.

While away, his campaign council postponed the inauguration of the council indefinitely. The council said it was going to expand the list to accommodate more interests in the party.

Recall that the 422-member PCC released by the Secretary of the council, James Falake, did not go down well with the governors, who threatened to withdraw their support for the campaign.

This newspaper also reported that the Director General of the PCC, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and the Chairman of APC Governors Forum, Governor Abubakar Bagudu, had resolved to expand the list, to accommodate the interest of the governors.

Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections began on Wednesday in line with INEC’s timetable while the APC presidential candidate was away.

This is not the first time Mr Tinubu will be missing major public appearances with other candidates.

In August, he missed the Nigerian Bar Association Conference in Lagos but was represented by Mr Shettima.

During the conference, Mr Shettima made a controversial statement saying he would personally lead the Nigerian military against criminals while his principal, Mr Tinubu, will oversee the economy.

“I have been in the theatre of conflicts for 18 years, I will lead the troops, my principal is an economy wizard who has transformed Lagos into the third largest economy in Africa. He will concentrate on the economy.

“By God’s grace, I will handle the security, and not only handle the security, I will lead the troops to battle across the length and breadth of this country,” he said.

Some persons on social media interpreted the comment as a possible case of an absentee president.