September 24, (THEWILL) – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has explained the exclusion of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo from the list of its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
THEWILL earlier reported that the APC, on Friday night, released a 422-Member list of its Presidential Campaign Council.
However, the absence of Osinbajo’s name, including others who had openly opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the party, had attracted different comments.
The Vice-President was among 13 Presidential aspirants who contested the APC presidential primary with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the party.
While the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi, who was Tinubu’s closest rival at the Primary election, made the list of Campaign Council, Prof. Osinbajo’s name was conspicuously missing, prompting reactions from the public.
Explaining the reason in a statement on Saturday, Festus Keyamo, spokesman of the campaign, said President Muhammadu Buhari requested that Osinbajo and Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, should not be part of the campaign council so they could focus on governance.
“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.”
About the Author
