SGF halts distribution of Buhari’s campaign souvenirs at FEC

By Lawrence Olaoye

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, yesterday stopped the distribution of fez caps and other souvenirs which seek to promote the candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the 2019 Presidential election at the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
Minister of Communication and Buhari’s staunch loyalist, Adebayo Shittu stormed the FEC decking fez cap bearing campaign messages which sought to sell the President’s candidature.
The fez cap which bore the inscription, “Continuity ‘19: Muhammadu Buhari/Osinbajo” is coming to the fore after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s veiled letter suggesting to President Buhari to drop any plan to re-contest in the 2019 elections.
The former President had in the lengthy and strongly worded letter made public on Tuesday, also promoted what may become a political party, Coalition for Nigeria (CN).
Shittu who was sighted wearing the Fez cap, is said to be nursing ambition to contest the Oyo state governorship election under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in 2019.
At the end of the meeting however, some of the members filed out of the Council Chambers with the fez caps carefully stowed away in their bags ostensibly to avoid the prying eyes of newsmen and avert being harangued in a backlash by Nigerians.
It was gathered that the SGF ordered that they must not be distributed as it was not yet time for campaign.
It was learnt that some of those that were already distributed were subsequently retrieved before the end of the Council yesterday.
Speaking to newsmen later, Shittu explained that the materials were not meant for the FEC deliberations.
He said: “The cap is for politics, it is not for Federal Executive Council, FEC deliberations and the caps have been distributed to all members of FEC.
“So, it is sample for any other person who is interested in doing what we have done.
“I know everybody will be involved, everybody will be guided, people will take decision to support General Buhari in the 2019 elections.”
One of the Minister’s who had concealed his own however told newsmen that it was in his bag which he pointed at.