Keyamo Explains Why he Accepted to Serve Buhari Campaign Organisation

Ejiofor Alike

The newly appointed Director of Strategic Communications of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has given reasons why he accepted the job.

With the appointment, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is the official spokesperson of the president’s campaigns for the 2019 presidential election.

Keyamo said in a statement wednesday that he was consulted before the announcement and he “wholeheartedly and proudly accepted the challenge to do this for the good of my country and for posterity.”

According to him, he found an approximation of the lofty values he cherishes and have fought for all his life in President Buhari.
He said the ultimate aim of every struggle was not really to enthrone a perfect, flawless system but to enthrone a government that is “focused, determined and fiercely opposed to the unscrupulous wheeler-dealers in the society, committed to protecting the interests of the down-trodden, the weak and vulnerable.

“One of the obvious ways to do this is to ensure that what belongs to all is not cornered by a few; and if they do so, to ensure that they are made to account and brought to justice. I can boldly say that no government in the history of Nigeria has recovered so much looted funds as that of President Buhari. The fact that this government has clearly chosen this path in protecting the masses of our country (as unpleasant as it has been to some) is one of the many reasons why I am so proud and bold about my support for the re-election bid of President Buhari,” he said.

Keyamo said he took a cue from my revered late boss, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who mentored him, adding that throughout Fawehinmi’s career, he also consistently and fiercely engaged every government in Nigeria and suffered as a result.

Keyamo added that the only government Fawehinmi supported fully throughout his lifetime was that led by General Buhari in 1984 to 1985.
He said Fawehinmi’s decision to support Buhari was to the chagrin of some of his professional colleagues and fellow “radicals.

“However, he saw what they did not see at that time, because when that government was overthrown by General Ibrahim Babangida, what followed was the worst era in our history in terms of institutionalising corruption and political chicanery in Nigeria,” he added.
Keyamo alleged that some of those same forces and interests that saw the back of General Buhari in 1985 are still very much around.

“You can hear their voices getting louder of late, preaching hate and toiling hard to incite the people against the President. They want us to go back to our old ways, disguised as if they genuinely care for the masses of this country. When you look at the profile and ignoble antecedents of these characters – the emergency heroes, some of us have no option but to undertake this role we have been called upon to assume just to ensure that they do not succeed in their selfish enterprise,” he said.

“If I voted Buhari in 2015 and I am to vote for him again in 2019, then why can’t I campaign vigorously for him? I see no reason. It is a fallacy to say you are neutral in politics, yet you step forward to cast your vote at elections,” Keyamo said.