All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has directed its 422 members to report at the campaign headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday for special prayer sessions to officially commence the 2023 electioneering process.
“The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council wishes to inform all members nominated to serve in the various directorates to report at the campaign headquarters on Wednesday 28 September 2022 at 8 a.m.
“Nominated members are expected to participate in the special prayer sessions marking the commencement of the 2023 presidential election campaigns.
“There will be a Peace Walk immediately after the prayers. All nominees will be issued their letters of appointment same day,” the Council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement on Friday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had announced September 28 (Wednesday) as the official date for campaigns to kick off for next year’s elections.
The APC Campaign Council had on Friday night released a long list of persons tasked with the responsibility to ensure victory for APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu; and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, in next February polls.
Some of the members of the Council chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari include Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Gbemisola Saraki; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; as well as other heavyweights including serving and former governors, ministers, senators, amongst others.
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The steel minister is sister to former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who contested the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential primary in May and lost to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
However, the list excluded Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; 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, and many other chieftains in the ruling party.
The spokesman for the campaign, Festus Keyamo, subsequently said the President directed that Osinbajo and Mustapha should not be included in the list for him to focus on demands of governance.
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 as well as the name of a serving PDP senator, Chimaroke Nnamani, however, came as a surprise to many.
