ASO VILLA NOT FOR CAMPAIGNS, YPP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TELLS SOWORE, OTHERS
Read Time:3 Minute, 40 Second
By ‘Balogun Ibrahim
The Young Progressives Party (YPP) presidential candidate, Dr Peter Agada, has cautioned the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and other politicians against using the Presidential Villa for campaign activities and social gatherings, insisting that the facility should be reserved for official government business.
Agada, who spoke during a media parley in Abuja on Friday, criticised what he described as the growing tendency among politicians to treat Aso Rock as a destination for political activities.
He argued that presidential candidates should demonstrate their readiness to govern by showing evidence of their existing businesses, workplaces and residences rather than seeking access to the seat of power.
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The former Labour Party chieftain also cited the resurgence of Ebola and Nigeria’s security challenges as reasons the Presidential Villa should not host social events.
His comments followed a request by Sowore-led AAC to President Bola Tinubu for permission to inaugurate its presidential campaign council at the Villa ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a letter dated October 21, the party asked the President to approve the use of the facility for its proposed November 11 event and provide food, drinks and other logistical support for participants.
The AAC said its request was based on the principles of multiparty democracy, political inclusiveness and equal treatment of political parties, arguing that approval would demonstrate the Presidency’s commitment to fairness.
Reacting to the request, Agada said the Villa should not become a destination for politicians seeking relevance or elective office as a means of securing employment.
He said, “Just vacating the Villa office for politicians is not enough. We must ask: Where were their contact offices before they wanted the Villa job? I support Sowore’s call and I agree with him that the Presidential Villa has become an unemployment place for failed politicians.”
However, Agada maintained that the Presidential Villa was a highly respected institution that should not be used for social gatherings.
“But I’m saying that the Presidential Villa is a highly respected place for the Presidency and should not be used for social gatherings. It is a high-security area that should be cordoned off for government activities, especially given the resurgence of the Ebola virus,” he said.
The YPP candidate further argued that a presidential aspirant’s capacity to govern should be assessed through their existing professional and business engagements rather than their access to Aso Rock.
“The true test of a presidential candidate is not the use of Aso Villa; it is his current office. Any man who wants to rule 200 million Nigerians must show us, first of all, your current office where you work. We are talking about your real office that pays a salary, not a rented campaign office or hotel, and your residence,” he said.
Agada added that candidates who could not identify their workplaces and residences risked appearing to be unemployed and dependent on political office for their livelihood.
To illustrate his point, he cited his engineering firm, Cyrus Acoustics Group Limited, which he said had 30 years of experience in road and estate construction and employed 47 workers.
He also stated that his Abuja residence was built with proceeds from his engineering business rather than earnings from politics.
The YPP candidate disclosed that his party would launch its presidential campaign from its construction yard instead of a hotel or the Presidential Villa, challenging other candidates to adopt a similar approach.
“My flag-off for the YPP presidential campaign will be done from my construction yard, not from Sheraton or Villa. My press conference will be done from my site office with a helmet on the table,” he said.
Agada urged other presidential aspirants to demonstrate their professional credentials by showing the offices where they currently work.
He added that the Presidency should be treated as an institution of governance rather than a venue for political entertainment, reiterating his intention to run a lean government if elected.
“I have said it time and again, I shall run a lean government. And I will use the Villa as a temporary site office for four years to build Nigeria, then return to my engineering office. Aso Villa is not a reward for unemployment. Any candidate who has no office today has no business looking for Villa tomorrow,” he said.
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