2023 presidential poll: Business Group slams Tinubu for declining Chambers of Commerce’s invite

Atiku Business Support Group (ABSG) has criticised the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for repudating the invitation of chambers of commerce to address them on his agenda for the business sector.

Reacting to the recent private sector forum hosted by the APC presidential candidate in Lagos in a statement by its interim publicity secretary Oluniyi Isamotu, the ABSG said the refusal of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to honour the invitation of the oldest chamber of commerce in Nigeria, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce amounts to “a direct insult on the over 80 chambers of commerce and Industry in Nigeria.”

“We find it surprising that the APC candidate is scared of facing the business associations. Instead he assembled billionaires, his friends, who can’t critique his agenda and who being already made, are less concerned about the plight of millions of small businesses all over the country.

“How can Asiwaju Tinubu appreciate the state of MSME in Nigeria when he is running away from meeting leaders of MSME ?

“Nigeria deserves a president who is ready to engage on critical issues facing the economy. Business associations form the main building blocs of national economy. Any presidential candidate who ignores the chamber movement in Nigeria does not deserve their votes.

“We, therefore, call on Chamber leaders in Nigeria to reject the APC candidate at the polls. We urge chamber leaders to punish the APC candidate by mobilizing massively and by financially supporting Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who has demonstrated his pro-business stance,” Mr Oluniyi Isamotu,  the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the group, said in a statement given to Persecondnews.

It commended the PDP candidate for directly engaging business associations across the country, describing him as “a truly pro-business candidate in the 2023 race” who will address the concerns and aspirations of MSME in Nigeria.

“Let business leaders rally round Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. His speech at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry remains the best blueprint for reviving Nigerian economy.

“We must make our voice heard as business leaders,” the group said.