Buhari backs out of debate, kicks off town hall meetings in Lagos

Against the backdrop of its decision to stay out of presidential debates, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has announced the commencement of town hall meetings, as a deliberate strategy of the campaign ahead of the February 14 presidential poll during which General Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, will interact and explain directly to citizens the policy thrust of their envisaged administration and how the set objectives will be achieved.
The APCPCO said in a statement in Abuja that the town hall meetings kicked off in Lagos on Monday with a robust interaction between Buhari/Osibanjo and the Organised Private Sector.
The statement signed by Mallam Garba Shehu, Director of Media and Publicity of the Campaign, said that the party was 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,” Shehu said.
The statement reads: “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 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,” Shehu said.