Tinubu returns to Imo three months after ‘Bala blu’ gaffe

The All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asíwájú Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, staged a return to Imo three months after his controversial ‘Bala blu’ gaffe at a town hall with a group of businessmen and stakeholders in the state.

The former Lagos State governor allegedly committed the gaffe in his presentation while to trying to explain his refusal to attend town hall debates on certain broadcast stations.

Barely 24 hours after his slip of tongue, Tinubu’s critics and some comedians had gone to town to remix his “A town hall, different from balablu blu blu bulaba” into skits and music beats.

Although the Director of Strategic Communication of his campaign team, Dele Alake, had defended that the viral “Bala blu” video was doctored.

Subsequent findings, however, countered Alake with facts that proved that Tinubu indeed made the remark in Owerri , the Imo State capital while speaking with a group of businessmen on his plans to promote the country’s economy for businesses to thrive.

Three months after the drama, the APC candidate returned to the state for his campaign and he was received by a mammoth crowd at his campaign rally in Imo State on Tuesday.

Tinubu was accompanied to the Dan Anyiam Stadium by the president, the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, governors Hope Uzodinnma (Imo), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Babajide Sanwo-olu (Lagos) and Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.

Others were the APC Deputy Chairman (South), Emma Enekwu; former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase and the APC National Woman Leader, Betta Edu.

The APC candidate said, “You know the president with honesty, integrity and dependability. We will continue with his incorruptible and being straightforward attributes.”

While giving an assurance that he would not disappoint Nigerians, he promised to work assiduously to advance the legacies of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), particularly in the area of infrastructure revolution, revamping agriculture, road and railway network.

The APC candidate also pledged that he would further invest in education just as the president who upgraded two institutions in the state to universities did, and help to make the state a tourist destination.

“We will strengthen and promote peace and unity in the state and confront violence and man inhumanity to fellow man as that’s the only way growth and development can be achieved,” he said.

In a related development, Buhari, for the umpteenth time, stated that he was confident his party’s candidate would be the next president of the country God willing.

The president noted that he had accompanied Tinubu to the state to sell him to the people, expressing gratitude for the massive turnout at the rally.

Earlier, the president paid a courtesy call on traditional rulers at their state council chamber where he had canvassed support for election.