Keyamo to serve as spokesman for President's re-election campaign

Human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has been appointed the official spokesperson for the re-election campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In February, Pulse had exclusively reported that Keyamo was going to be named Buhari's campaign spokesperson .

We had also reported that Amaechi would be named Director General of the Buhari re-election campaign.

Strategic communications

Keyamo's new role was disclosed by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the Director-General of the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, in a letter dated Monday, April 16, 2018.

Keyamo posted the letter on his official Twitter account on Tuesday, March 17, and promised to make a formal statement later.

The letter read, "I'm pleased to convey to you the decision of the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation to appoint you as director, strategic communications in respect of the forthcoming campaigns for the 2019 presidential election.

"As you are aware, President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking the nomination of our great Party, the All Progressives Congress, as the candidate for the said election.

"Your appointment is to aid in getting the said nomination and to ensure the success of the subsequent campaigns for the 2019 presidential election.

"In your capacity, you are to be the Spokesperson for the campaign during the nomination process and also at the subsequent campaigns for the 2019 presidential election."

President Buhari ended months of speculation when he officially announced his intention to seek re-election in the 2019 presidential election during a meeting with the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, April 9, 2018.

2019 presidential race

Motivational speaker and leadership coach, Fela Durotoye, became the second aspirant to officially declare his intention to contest for president after he joined the Alliance for a New Nigeria (ANN) on February 22, 2018. Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of online news platform, Sahara Reporters, declared his intention to run just days later on February 25.

Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose,was the first aspirant to have officially declared his intention to contest after his announcement in September 2017.

A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, Lagos-based businessman, Ahmed Buhari, medical practitioner, Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, and IT entrepreneur, Adamu Garba II are also in the running.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is expected to be President Buhari's biggest challenger after he left the APC and moved back to the PDP.