A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District, Chimaroke Nnamani, has been appointed as a member of the APC presidential campaign council.
This is as the APC presidential campaign counci said that the name of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was conspicuously missing on the list it released Friday night because he had been directed by President Muhammadu Buhari to focus on issues of governance.
According to a statement by spokesman of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign team and minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN), Osinbajo and the Secretary to government of the federation, Boss Mustapha, were left out in the list because Buhari instructed that they should be allowed to concentrate on governance of the country and administration of government.
In the 422-member list released by secretary of the presidential campaign council, Hon James Faleke, names of some prominent party chieftains were missing.
President Buhari and presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu are chairman and deputy chairman of the campaign council respectively, while Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, retained his position as director-general.
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is listed as deputy director-general (Operations) even as the list named APC governors, ministers, lawmakers, ambassadors, serving and past public office holders in key positions in the Campaign council.
But the names of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former SGF, Babachir Lawal; former minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and a staunch Tinubu associate, Adebayo Shittu, who heads one of his biggest support groups, Asiwaju Tinubu-Shettima Coalition for Good Governance, were missing.
But explaining the omision of Tinubu’s name, Keyamo 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.
“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.”
Earlier in the statement on Friday announcing members of the campaign team, Faleke had said, “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.”
