All is set for President Muhammadu Buhari to flag off the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) 2019 presidential campaign at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Friday, December 28, 2018.
Speaking at a media briefing in Uyo on Monday, the president’s senior special assistant on national assembly, (senate), Mr. Ita Enang, said the president would present the party’s flag to its governorship candidates in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers states at the rally.
“President Muhammadu Buhari and the 2019 presidential candidates of the APC will be in Akwa Ibom State on Friday, December 28, 2018 for the take off of his 2019 presidential campaign.
“The President is coming with the national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, national leaders of the party, national officers and all the serving governors under the platform of the party.
“The governorship candidates of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers and Delta states will be officially presented with the party’s flag,” he said.
The announcement of the kick off of the campaign came shortly after the Akwa Ibom State government had rescinded its earlier not to allow the use of the stadium citing the Nigeria Premier football league season that would start soon and the closure of the stadium by Julius Berger, a firm handling its maintenance.
The government had, instead offered the party the Uyo Township Stadium which Enang faulted and threatened that the party would use all the means in its arsenal to use the Akpabio International Stadium.
“The Akwa Ibom State Government had stated that it was preserving the field for the football match coming up next year, and that the Godswill Akpabio Stadium will not be used for the campaign.
“We will continue to use diplomacy but if diplomacy fails, we will still use the stadium. It is public facility, a collective heritage of the Akwa Ibom people, Buhari is the President of Nigeria and nobody can restrain him from using any facility anywhere in the country. The President has been fair, kind and generous to Akwa Ibom people,” he said.
Announcing the lifting of initial denial for use of the facility, the state commissioner for information, Mr. Monday Uko said: “Following a decision by Julius Berger Plc to recall their staff from their scheduled holiday, the Akwa Ibom State Government has approved the use of the Nest of Champions Stadium, Uyo for the flag off of the President’s electioneering campaign on December 28, 2018,” the state’s commissioner for sports, Monday Uko said in a statement. However, all other terms of use will remain effective.”
He added: “Organisers of the rally are expected to meet with the stadium management to finalise this approval.”
