Buhari Asked Us To Remove Osinbajo’s Name From Tinubu’s Campaign Council – Keyamo

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has revealed why the name of Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo was left out of the campaign list.

APC Presidential Campaign Council For Tinubu

On Friday, the APC presidential campaign council released a 422-man list of nominees containing names of political heavyweights including governors, ministers, lawmakers, ambassadors as well as serving and past public office holders.

However, Osinbajo’s name wasn’t included in the list alongside Yakubu Dogara, former speaker of the house of representatives, Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, former minister of state for education.

The absence of Osinbajo’s name fueled speculations that the vice-president is at loggerheads with Tinubu over his preference for the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Reacting in a statement on Saturday, the spokesperson of the council, Festus Keyamo said President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the omission of Osinbajo and Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, from the list.

According to him, Osinbajo and Mustapha were left out of the lineup to allow them “concentrate on governance of the country and administration of government.”

The statement reads, “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, 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.

“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.”

KanyiDaily had also reported that Chimaroke Nnamani, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and senator representing Enugu east senatorial district, was named as a member of the APC presidential campaign council.