A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has hailed President Bola Tinubu, Governor Dapo Abiodun, as well as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Mr Nyesom Wike, over his recent appointment as a member of the Communication and Strategy Committee of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.
Showunmi also in a video posted on Facebook on Wednesday also hailed the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake as well as the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga for facilitating his inclusion into the campaign council.
The PDP chieftain, while declaring his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid, said that despite having campaigned against the president in the past, he had since made a detour because the direction of the President’s policies in the last three and a half years has convinced him that the country is on the right path.
Announcing acceptance of the appointment, Showunmi expressed appreciation to Tinubu for the confidence reposed in him, describing his inclusion in the campaign team as an opportunity to contribute to the country’s development.
“I must, first of all, thank President Bola Tinubu for the confidence reposed in me and for considering me worthy of contributing to his campaign team as a member of the Communication and Strategy Committee,” he said.
Showunmi said he accepted the responsibility with enthusiasm, adding that his decision to support the President was informed by his assessment of the administration’s policy direction and reform agenda.
“I have campaigned against him in the past, and now I want to campaign for him. The simple reason is that I do not even see this as a campaign for him alone, but perhaps as a campaign for our country,” he stated.
The PDP chieftain said he had become convinced that Tinubu’s chosen direction for Nigeria was appropriate, adding that he would have supported the President from the outset had he known that his administration would pursue the policies currently being implemented.
“We have reached a point in this nation where I am beyond convinced that the direction he has chosen to take the country is the right one. Had I known that this was the direction he intended to pursue when he started out, I would have campaigned for him,” Showunmi said.
He said his assessment was based on his observation of the administration over the past three and a half years, particularly its efforts to implement reforms and position the country for economic growth.
According to him, the administration’s policies have also attracted favourable assessments from international financial institutions and multilateral organisations.
“Over the last three and a half years, I have watched him push very hard on all the important issues, complete the reforms and begin to move the country towards prosperity,” he said.
Showunmi added that the administration had secured the necessary endorsements from international institutions, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and multilateral financial organisations.
Expressing confidence in the President’s electoral prospects, he said he looked forward to an energetic campaign and pledged to play an active role in the effort to secure Tinubu’s victory.
“I look forward to a fantastic, interesting and well-coordinated campaign. The President is winning this, and he has just made it a whole lot easier by making me a member of this fantastic team,” he said.
He commended Wike for what he described as the concept of a “rainbow coalition”, which he said would provide an opportunity for politicians from different parties to contribute to nation-building.
Showunmi said that “The President is winning this, he just made it a whole lot easier by making me a member of the fantastic team.Thank you, Mr. President, thank you, Mr. Dele Alake, thank you, Bayo Onanuga, thank you, Gov Dapo Abiodun, thank you, Mr Nyesom Wike for coming up with the concept of rainbow coalition that will allow people from other parties to contribute to nation building. I love you all Nigerians, let’s get ready to hit the ground running”.
He urged Nigerians to prepare for the campaign, expressing optimism about the prospect of working with members of the campaign council to promote Tinubu’s candidacy.