- * As APC Names 422-member Campaign Team
By Tosin Ajayi
The Spokesperson for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, has given reasons for the exclusion of Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, from the 422-man list of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.
According to him, their absence was because President Muhammadu Buhari “specifically directed” that they should be left out of the Campaign Council to concentrate on the governance of the country.
Keyamo made this known in a statement on Saturday, hours after the party released a long list of power brokers as members of the Campaign Council.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to some stories making the rounds that there may be something amiss within the family of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the name of our own revered and respected Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), GCON is not included in the list of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.
“Nothing can be farther from the facts. For the avoidance of doubt, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, is the Chairman of the Campaign Council. As a result, Mr. President has specifically directed that the Vice-President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha should be left out of the Campaign Council to concentrate on the governance of the country and administration of Government.
“As a responsible Party and Government, all the key functionaries of government cannot abandon their positions for electioneering campaigns. The APC has the mandate of the Nigerian people to administer the country on their behalf at least till May 29, 2023, and this we intend to do with all sense of responsibility.”
Keyamo also said the list released is subject to “periodic review”.
He stated that, “Our candidates and the leadership of the APC have also indicated that the list is not sacrosanct as there may be periodic review of it as circumstances dictate.
“We will not toe the path of those who governed the country in an irresponsible manner before us and our party is not in total disarray like those who wish to ‘rescue’ the country, but cannot simply manage their own internal affairs.”
Aside from Osinbajo and Mustapha, other prominent members of the party not included in the campaign council include former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, amongst others.
Osinbajo and Nwajiuba had contested the presidential primary of the ruling party with former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, the eventual winner, whilst Dogara and Lawal have fiercely registered their opposition to Tinubu’s choice of a Muslim like himself as running mate.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, on Saturday morning, released a 422-man list of power brokers as members of the council tasked with the responsibility to ensure victory for the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu,
However, the list which has former ministers, serving governors, and some other heavyweights did not include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, amongst others.
Osinbajo and Nwajiuba had contested the presidential primary of the ruling party with Tinubu, the eventual winner, whilst Dogara and Lawal have fiercely registered their opposition to Tinubu’s choice of a Muslim like himself as running mate.
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, had announced a former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate, a development that stirred controversy with stiff opposition from some APC chieftains like Dogara and Lawal as well as the Christian Association of Nigeria.
However, some of Tinubu’s perceived opponents such as former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; and Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made it to the list.
Amaechi, who was one of Tinubu’s challengers at the party’s primary earlier in the year, has been taciturn since he lost to the former Lagos governor. Tinubu had trounced Amaechi and Osinbajo at the primary with the former minister and VP coming second and third respectively.
Also, Aregbesola, one of Tinubu’s longtime allies, had caused a ruckus in the buildup to the Osun State Governorship Election when he accused Tinubu of betrayal. The inclusion of the name of the former governor of Osun State, however, came as a surprise to many.
In the list released on Friday night by the Presidential Campaign Council Secretary, James Faleke, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, maintained his position as Director-General just as Deputy Director-General (Operations), Adams Oshiomhole, and Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga.
Faleke also announced President Muhammadu Buhari as the chairman for the council with Tinubu as deputy chairman as well as APC national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu.
The statement read, “We are pleased to announce the nominees of the leadership of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, as per enclosed. All nominees are kindly advised to pick their appointment letters from the undersigned on Monday, 26th September, 2022 at 12noon.
“The venue is Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council on Plot 781, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Area Abuja. All other members will be contacted by the leaders of their respective directorates.”
The composition of the campaign council comes days to September 28, the official campaign start date as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
See the full list of the members of the campaign council below:
(source: voice of naija.ng). NNL.
