Fred Harrison, Abuja
The Spokesman of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Council, Festus Keyamo, (SAN), has explained that the conspicuous exclusion of the name of the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo was deliberate.
Keyamo said that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered for the exclusion of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Secretary to the Government of Federation from the council.
He said that the President’s took the decision to leave out the two critical names to enable them “to concentrate on the governance of the country and administration of government.”
He said that it would not be ideal for all key operatives of government to abandon the critical business of governance to electioneering campaigns.
He stressed that the ruling APC has the mandate of Nigerians to administer the country Hon their behalf till May 29, 2023.
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.”
The exclusion of OSINBAJO’s name from the Council had elicited insinuations in the media as he contested the party’s primary against the candidate in spite of the pressure on him to step down at the time
