Tinubu’s absence at 2023 polls Peace Accord signing fuels speculations over health

Traditional signing of the Peace Accord among political parties contesting the 2023 General Elections took place, Thursday, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Thursday, with all presidential candidates present except the standard bearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was conspicuously absent over unexplained reasons by party officials.

However, the former Governor of Lagos was represented again by his running mate, Kashim Shettima, as his absence further fuelled speculations regarding his state of health, following unconfirmed reports which claimed that the politician is in London for medical treatment.

The event, which was organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC), took place with the leading presidential candidates in attendance, including; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party’s Peter Obi; New Nigeria Peoples Party’s Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Others are; Omoyele Sowore, candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), while Kashim Shettima, the APC vice-presidential candidate, was at the event to represent Tinubu.

Remarking, chairman of NPC, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), said the accord was to promote peaceful electioneering.

Tinubu’s last official engagement was in Gombe to attend the wedding of Misbahu Inuwa Yahaya, son of State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, last week.

After the wedding in Gombe, Tinubu’s team made a stopover for a brief homage and political meeting at the Gombe emir’s Palace, accompanied by political bigwigs who included Senate President Ahmad Lawan and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, to seek support of the monarch for his 2023 presidential ambition.

In the course of the meeting, Tinubu was captured on a video which went viral, sleeping while Lawan was holding the microphone addressing attendees at the emir’s living room.

Furthermore, only Wednesday, former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, admitted he does not know if Tinubu is in Nigeria.

Oshiomhole, who was recently appointed the Deputy Director-General of Tinubu’s Campaign Team stated this while answering questions on Channels Television’s programme, Politics Today, on when the APC campaign will be inaugurated ahead of the 2023 polls.

“We are yet to inaugurate our campaign council because the Chairman (President Muhammadu Buhari) was away in New York,” Oshiomhole said.

When quizzed about Tinubu, he responded: “I don’t report to him every day. So I’m not sure if he’s around or not.

“That (Tinubu’s whereabout)) will be when the campaign council is inaugurated and my office is activated. That has not been done yet.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the signing of the Peace Accord with former President Goodluck Jonathan and other presidential candidates in the build up to the 2015 elections contributed largely to the peaceful outcome of the polls.

Receiving the National Peace Committee (NPC), led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, on Thursday at State House, the President urged all the signatories to the 2023 election Peace Accord, and their supporters, to abide by its content and spirit.

The President noted that the signing of the First National Peace Accord by presidential candidates in the 2023 election, earlier at a separate event on Thursday, was aimed at committing political parties, aspirants and their supporters to conduct their campaigns in a peaceful manner, devoid of ethnic, religious and hate speeches that could mar the upcoming elections.

“The timing of the First National Peace Accord is significant considering political party campaigns have already commenced in the country. The initiatives undertaken by the NPC are commendable as these efforts would ensure issue-based campaigns.”

“I look forward to the second phase of the signing of the National Peace Accord coming up in January 2023. You may recall that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and I signed the first National Peace Accord before the 2015 elections.

“It is my conviction that it contributed significantly to the peaceful outcome of the 2015 election. It is my hope that the National Peace Committee continues this important work post 2023,” the President said.

President Buhari reiterated that credible, free and fair elections can only be achieved in a peaceful environment, adding that the signing of the Electoral Act 2021 as amended with landmark provisions underline his resolve for transparent and all-inclusive Electoral Process.

He, therefore, urged all stakeholders to conduct themselves in a manner that would ensure the successful conduct of the General Elections in 2023 as well as smooth transition from one democratically elected Government to another.

Other members of the NPC include: Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto; John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Prof. Ameze Guobadia; Prince Sam Amuka; Justice Roseline Ukeje (rtd); Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Bishop Mathew Hasan Kukah; Lt. Gen. Mathew Luther Agwai; Mr. Femi Otedola; Alhaji Ahmed Yayale; Ms Idayat Hassan, John Momoh; Sani Suleiman Atsu and Fr. Attah Barkindo, Head of NPC Secretariat.