The Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Saturday, revealed that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was deliberately excluded from the 422-member body on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The APC shocked Nigerians and set tongues wagging, on Friday, when it released a 422-member list as members of the presidential campaign council, with the name of Vice President Osinbajo conspicuously missing.
This set many tongues wagging, and even made many Nigerians to infer that Prof. Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, must have been excluded from the list to punish him for daring to run against Tinubu in the party’s presidential primary.
But in a press statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Festus Keyamo, the campaign said President Muhammadu Buhari actually ordered that Osinbajo and Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, be excluded from the list.
According to Keyamo, the President gave the directive in order to keep the wheel of government running.
Below is the full text of Keyamo’s press statement:
PRESS RELEASE BY THE TINUBU/SHETTIMA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL
ABSENCE OF VICE-PRESIDENT YEMI OSINBAJO FROM CAMPAIGN COUNCIL LIST NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN
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.
Thank you.
FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN, FCIArb(UK)
Director of Public Affairs and
Chief Spokesperson
Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.
Hon. Minister of State,
Labour and Employment.
