The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rescheduled his campaign rallies in Anambra and Imo states from a Monday to a Tuesday.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that although no official reason was given, a source in the campaign council told the press that the party earlier did not consider that “Monday is a dreaded period” for anybody to go out in some areas of the South-East region.
With the tweak, the APC and Tinubu’s decision to shelve their presidential campaigns on Mondays is in compliance with the sit-at-home order by the proscribed separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“If you drive out anyhow in the South-East on a Monday, it is at the owner’s risk. The South-East is not a place where you can just veer into and gather people in the name of politics.
“So, we have to make that necessary amendment in dates, not necessarily because of possible confrontation, but to make people willing to troop out for the rallies,” the source said.
Recall IPOB declared the sit-at-home order in August 2021 to protest and demand the release of its leader Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial on treason and terrorism charges by the Nigerian government.
Violators of the sit-at-home order have been victims of violence and killings by gunmen in southeast states on Mondays. Vehicular movements and commercial activities are on halt in compliance with IPOB’s order.
Tinubu’s campaign and zonal stakeholders’ meeting earlier scheduled to hold in Imo State on Monday, November 21, was shifted to Tuesday.
Anambra’s rally slated for Monday, January 30, was also moved to Tuesday according to the adjusted presidential campaign timetable, which was released by the campaign council on Friday night.
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