Reports have it that there was apprehension among supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), in London yesterday as he failed to attend the presidential rally organised by APC Diaspora Community in the United Kingdom.
“Although no reason was given for his absence, the party’s spokesman, Lai Mohammed, debunked rumours that Buhari was ill, adding that the rally was not part of Buhari’s itinerary,” says a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report.
Buhari arrived in London last Thursday and was scheduled to meet with the Nigerian community, APC supporters in UK and give a talk later in the week at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of Public Affairs, the report said.
“However, APC supporters across the UK who converged at the Everlasting Arms Ministries Church in East London for the presidential rally, were disappointed when the party flag bearer did not turn up,” according to NAN.
The report said that Mohammed explained that since the APC candidate arrived in the UK, he had been meeting and consulting with political leaders, while also having some rest after his energy-sapping nationwide campaign.
“He, however, assured those present that Buhari would be at the Chatham House event billed for February 26,” the report said.
NAN said that apart from Mohammed, the rally was addressed by other APC chieftains such as the party’s governorship candidate for Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. It said that
El-rufai while fielding questions dispelled rumours of Buhari’s ill health, saying that the APC presidential flag bearer had the requisite experience, given his age at 73, to serve Nigeria.
The report said that APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, also addressed the rally, telling the supporters that the party’s strength was in its desire to change Nigeria. (News Express).