The controversy generated by the release of the 422-member All Progressives Congress APC Presidential Campaign Council is yet to abate following a caustic letter written by the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee NWC to its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In the letter obtained in the wee hours of Thursday, Adamu accused Tinubu of breaching the agreement he had with the NWC with regard to the composition of the campaign council.
The composition of the council had been serially delayed as the NWC was said to have set up a three-member committee to interface with Tinubu’s team.
The NWC members were the National Organising Secretary, the National Legal Adviser and Deputy Women Leader which was set up to harmonize the council membership list with Tinubu’s team.
NWC’s Recommendations
The recommendations of the NWC team are to have Senator Adamu as Deputy Chairman of the Council; the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Abubakar Kyari as Deputy Regional Coordinating Chairman (North) and his counterpart in the South, Hon. Emma Eneukwu as Deputy Regional Coordinating Chairman (South).
The demand also includes having APC National Secretary, Sen. Iyiola Omisore as Vice Chairman (Party Affairs); the National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Sulaiman Argungu as Deputy Director-General (Organizing); the APC National Vice Chairman (South South), Hon. Victor Giadom as Deputy Zonal Campaign Coordinator, South-South and the APC National Vice Chairman (South West) as Deputy Zonal Campaign Coordinator of the zone.
Others are APC National Vice Chairman (South East) as Deputy Zonal Campaign Coordinator; APC National Vice Chairman (North Central) as Deputy Zonal Campaign Coordinator; APC National Vice Chairman (North East) as Deputy Zonal Campaign Coordinator and APC National Vice Chairman (North West) as Deputy Zonal Campaign Coordinator of the zone.
The NWC team was said to have also recommended the creation of more directorates like the Directorate of Media Relations to be headed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary; Directorate of Compliance to be headed by the National Legal Adviser; Directorate of Organizing, Contact and Mobilization to be headed by the National Organizing Secretary.
“The NWC also wants the National Women Leader to coordinate the Women Wing; the National Youth Leader to be in charge of Youth Wing and the National Leader, People With Disabilities (PWD) to coordinate people with disabilities in the Presidential Campaign Council PCC”, said a top-ranking party official who pleaded anonymity.
However, in the letter Adamu wrote to Tinubu in London, the party said the presidential candidate is operating solo whereas winning elections is supposed to be a collaborative effort.
The letter reads
“On behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I present my compliments to Your Excellency, and have the honour to convey to you, in truth and respect, the Committee’s opinion and position, regarding the above-mentioned subject matter, with a view to having a clear understanding about the respective roles and responsibilities of the principal organs of the Party charged with the duties of conducting the campaigns in the forth-coming general elections.
“This correspondence has become necessary in view of developments that took place over the last few days around the purported appointments into the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) that was announced precipitately by officials of the Council, without making recourse to the NWC for approval. All along, the NWC had been disposed towards the campaign in a cooperative spirit that is driven by the overall interest of the Party and the singular desire of victory for our candidates, in the persons of your esteemed self and your running mate.
“It is against this background that the NWC received with astonishment and regret, the press release by the PCC on 23rd September 2022, in which a purported list of appointees was announced, which effectively served as the approved roster of participants in the Party’s Presidential Campaign Council.
“The purported list not only came as a complete surprise to the NWC and the Party’s leadership, but also contravened the principles and purposes of the arrangements that you and I had led towards the adoption of the Organogram of the PCC, and its principal officials.
“Perhaps it has become necessary owing to the passage of time, that I should draw Your Excellency’s attention to the agreements that we reached in principle around the final adoption of the PCC list, based on the understanding that it was a work in progress, until such a time that the Joint NWC/PCC Committee that was established to formalise the structure and populate the list, submits its report.
“Your Excellency will no doubt recall our meetings in my office and also at the NWC Conference Room at the Party’s National Secretariat, on Wednesday, 7th September 2022, during which we discussed the details of the Organogram of the PCC and its composition, as a collaborative project between the two entities. Our recollection of those meetings clearly leaves us in no doubt that a breach of agreement has occurred, and that a return to the principles of cooperation and respect for each other is required.
“In Your Excellency’s own words, which I take the liberty to quote here, which I also hold dearly, you stated that “there is a burden on everyone’s shoulders towards delivering the elections to the Party and the candidate”. This has been the view of the NWC and myself all along since Your Excellency’s emergence as our Great Party’s Flagbearer.
“The NWC is striving under trying circumstances to keep faith with this vision, and to take our Party and candidates to victory, not only in the Presidential elections but in all others across the elective strata of offices.
May I, therefore, point out to Your Excellency, that winning election is a cooperative as well as a collaborative effort, that is done in a transparent and disinterested manner by all parties concerned, by respecting established boundaries and acknowledging the contributions of everyone. The NWC believes that any sign of disarray in the Party’s ranks will undermine the spirit and ethos of the campaign and give the undue alarm to faithful members and followers of the Party across the country.
“At the same, such a development would undoubtedly come as “Manna from Heaven” for the opposition parties, whose only desire when all else fails, is to see the introduction of rancour, division and disinclination in the leadership of our Great Party.
“I am sure Your Excellency will agree with me that this is an eventuality that we must do all in our power to prevent from happening. You will also agree that we owe it a duty as leaders to provide guidance by example to the rest of the Party including the PCC, to abide by agreements and adhere strictly to the work ethos that has been adopted by all of us. It is only by doing so that we will establish the premise for victory and gain the trust and confidence of our dear countrymen and women.
“Without further admonishment or complaints, I wish hereby to call upon Your Excellency to restrain the PCC from undertaking solo projects of this nature and agree to work with all stakeholders towards taking our Party to victory. I shall not find it necessary to reiterate the importance of the Party in the overall scheme of things in these campaigns, and the singular position of the NWC in driving the process towards our securing of victory in the polls.
“It suffices for me to convey the general and overwhelming sentiment of the NWC with regards to the ill-timed and unfortunate release of the PCC list, which confounded rather than pleased the members and whose withdrawal will assure the NWC of Your Excellency’s respect and disposition towards the Party, as well as the magnanimous spirit of cooperation towards achieving victory together with the NWC.
Please accept, Your Excellency, my own personal regard and consideration, as well as the assurances of the of NWCs’ warm and sincere felicitations”.
How Tinubu Threw APC Presidential Campaign Council Into Crisis
•Sets stage when he overruled governors
•Removes president, stakeholders’ nominees
•Displeased Lalong threatens to resign
There are strong indications that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, might have sown the seed of the new crisis in his Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) by deliberate machination, after he allegedly overrode President Muhammadu Buhari, his party leadership and the progressive governors, in the composition of the council.
THISDAY gathered that the council, though a tripartite institution, structured around the presidential candidate, the party and the president, was originally designed to be driven by the governors, since they were expected to lead the campaigns in their respective states.
Thus, according to sources, Tinubu, the party and the progressive governors, had perfected the composition of an inclusive campaign council, before it was agreed amongst them that the list should be taken to the president for his input (if there’s any) as a mark of respect, an idea Buhari was said to have not only welcomed, but also did as expected of him by making a few inputs.
Unfortunately, a few days after the president had made his input, Tinubu, without recourse to any of the other parties, including Buhari, single-handedly reviewed the list, particularly, tampering with some critical areas that the president and the governors, had indicated interests and agreed with him.
For example, when the list was allegedly taken to Buhari, aside signing off on it, he was said to have indicated interest in Mrs. Margaret Okadigbo, wife of a former Senate President, whom he wanted as the regional coordinator for the South East, apparently deferring to his late friend and former running mate, Senator Chuba Okadigbo, while at the same time, factoring the interest of the South East into the council.
But Tinubu, although had earlier consented to the council’s composition before it was taken to the president, yanked off Mrs. Okadigbo’s name and in her place, put the sole female presidential aspirant of the party, Uju Ken Ohanenye, who stood down for him at the presidential primary in Abuja.
This, expectedly, raised concerns amongst other stakeholders.
Again, in the South West, the governors were said to have considered the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as the PCC coordinator for the zone, but Tinubu opposed his choice and in his place, would rather the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
However, sensing what was playing out, sources, said Fayemi had immediately stepped in, saying since Akeredolu was the Chairman of the South West APC governors, he was a better choice and quietly acceded to the choice of the presidential aspirant without making a fuss of it.
But there was a particular one that eventually undid the campaign council and it was the choice of Hon. James Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives, from Ikeja in Lagos State, as Secretary of the campaign council.
The position of secretary of the council, sources told THISDAY, was reserved for the North Central, as part of moves to pacify the minority north. But because the Director-General of the PCC, Governor Simon Lalong, was from Plateau State, it was agreed that the secretary should be taken to Benue State, being a critical state in the middle belt.
Besides, with the controversy so far generated by the Muslim-Muslim preference of the presidential candidate, stakeholders believed picking a Christian from Benue State, would go a long way to quell the staggering opposition to the same faith ticket of the party.
Consequently, one of the governors from the North Central states, was allegedly detailed to reach out to a former governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume, to send in two names and their Curriculum Vitae, for Tinubu’s consideration for the position, which he allegedly did.
But Tinubu, again, allegedly turned down the two names from Benue and claimed since Kogi was part of North Central, he would rather Faleke, a man representing Lagos State in the lower chamber of the National Assembly, and without seeking the consent of other stakeholders, listed him as the secretary of the PCC.
These developments, THISDAY gathered, had angered Lalong, to the extent that he threatened to quit as DG of the PCC, but for the interventions of some people in the party, including a former deputy governor of Nasarawa State and other stakeholders, who appealed to him, not to throw the party into crisis by making such move at this time.
Added to these, Tinubu has been accused variously by members of allegedly appointing a handful of persons, either as directors or assistant directors to different places in the council, without consulting other stakeholders, a move many believed was intentional to create some form of control at the campaign secretariat, especially, with Faleke’s choice as the secretary.
While the president has refused to speak on the matter, other stakeholders, were said to have resolved to allow Tinubu make and take his decisions as the presidential candidate, since the input of the others did not matter to him or the cause they collectively sought.
Besides, a lot of the big names that were absent in the council to the shock of many people, THISDAY was reliably informed, was deliberate as those people claimed they would be unable to defend a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Even more disturbing for the prospect of the campaign is that a majority of northern governors seem inconsolable over the way and manner Tinubu had managed things since he emerged the candidate, especially, with the allegations that a former chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole and Faleke, were being used to project a southern agenda, undermine Lalong, and by extension, the governors as a body.
There have also been reports of how Faleke, has been allegedly running the secretariat like a mafia, carrying out actions and giving instructions without formal communication with the governors and on some occasions, declined or refused to answer the governors’ calls.
For instance, while the Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, is the chairman of progressive governors, Faleke allegedly jettisoned the list he submitted on behalf of the governors, and Tinubu, that the governors didn’t forward the list to him.
Things got to a head, when a few days to the proposed launch of the campaign and the governors had not been properly notified apart from the announcement flying around on different media platforms, particularly, with regards to the much-publicised “Prayer Walk”.
It was these unsavoury situations that were believed to have informed the cancellation of the campaign launch, even though a majority of the APC members believed the move was rather face-saving.
garfield1: With aliero not on the ballot,bagudu has a field day.plus no motivation for aliero to work for atiku...apply commonsense
There's motivation, bro. He can be assigned a portfolio when Atiku becomes president. In fact, he'll work harder to deliver Atiku so he won't lose totally
fiizznation: Stop lying. You will see Tinubu posters around UTC junction and that's the road that leads to sir kashim Ibrahim house (official government house of Kaduna). You said you conducted your silly survey in sabon Tasha and environs, so what do you expect?
If you are familiar with Kaduna settings, you'd know that those places are PDP strongholds in Kaduna. Did you conduct your survey in Kaduna metropolis, or in in Rigasa, Tudunwada, etc to know what everybody in Kaduna is talking about?
Smh
1. I didn't say Tinubu poster is not in Kaduna. I said I haven't seen. Meaning it's scare, compared to Obi's, Kwankwaso's and Atiku's. If you've seen any, upload.
2. I didn't say I conducted my survey in Sabon Tasha. I said I am currently in Sabon Tasha. That's because I am on Kaduna Central now. Kano and other Kaduna North places are APC stronghold. I haven't seen any Tinubu supporter. Even Markafi plaza, I haven't seen any.
Kaduna South and central are Even worse.
However, that doesn't mean there's no Tinubu poster in the whole of Kaduna, not possible. My point is it's EXTREMELY RARE. SO RARE THAT DESPITE ALL MY DAYS HERE I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY. You should upload if you've seen any.
Same with his supporters. I haven't seen ANY here. But that doesn't mean they don't exist at all in Kaduna. This is why I gave Tinubu 1% even though I haven't seen.
The summary is Tinubu is not popular at all in Kaduna.
asanausana91: sorry I meant to send the message to that guy that called me a liar. Sorry pls.
I get. You shouldn't stress it. He's a troll. I used to believe them until I visited Kaduna recently. Atiku is everywhere, Kaduna North, Central and Kaduna South. All the people who picked Obi are Igbos. Those Obi people are shameless. Fraudsters. You can see how he's arguing with you that you're not from Southern Kaduna? That's how they role.
I dun challenge am. Pick any police station of him choice so I go verify, but the fraud no gree. But he's here arguing your own region with you.
asanausana91: just shut up. I told you iam from kaura local government, in fact manchok is my town. Some of us that travel to the east for business know how we are been treated, they consider us a just shut up! I told you iam from kaura local government, infact manchok is my town. Ask me any question about the southern Kaduna. People like us that travel to the east know how we survived the issue of Biafra. Even when I identified myself with my name as a Christian I know how we were treated. People like you that are local champions don't even know what is going on. I lost my elder brother in Imo state,he was killed by those ipob basterds. The worst part is that you can never see Peter obi condemning them. Mr man, i got my NCE in Gidan waya, before I proceed to UI in Ibadan for my first degree. UJ is where I do my master's and by the grace of God I will continue my education in UJ. I am Moro'a by tribe. Pls stop calling someone that is far better than you a lair. Why must I even lie to you?
Baba, I wasn't doubting you. I was rather saying you should ignore the guy you're arguing with as he's not from Southern Kaduna. He's a troll.
Atiku is not a Muslim candidate. Imams should stop interfering biko. Atiku no send them message.
They should vote him because he's the best.
But I am happy the imams are not asking their followers to vote Muslim-Muslim ticket which makes me believe they actually want the best for Nigerians with Atiku and not because of religion
Cos if it's cos of religion, then they'll prefer Tinubu’s Muslim Muslim ticket. Since that's not the case, I believe they want a better Nigeria
Today in my area during Fajr prayer , Our Imam pleaded with Nigerians to always pray for the betterment of Nigeria as a nation while also pleading with Nigerians to give Atiku Abubakar a chance to govern this country. Seeing my people nodding in approval made me smile �
asanausana91: has he ever condemn the activities of ipob ESN? Even when that Kaduna indigene was slaughter together with his future wife, did you hear Peter obi calling IPOB to stop their evil. Iam a southern Kaduna indigene, from kaura local government and iam speaking what is on ground. Many people are afraid that if Peter obi win he will divide this country. I am speaking the voice of millions in Kaduna.
Bro, stop wasting your time. That guy na Igbo man masquerading as indigene.
VERDA: All this just for what exactly?? You think everyone is jobless like you. The kaduna indigene asked you guys to communicate in your local tongue since you claim he is lying, you no talk anything, your here speaking English.
Better face front and your candidate and stop trying to deceive people.
Obi fraudsters. Of course none of you will take up the challenge because it'll expose you further.
The few Igbos there should continue deceiving themselves.
TheOldGods: you're very funny oo. I wonder how people aregue with you. The video this guy posted clearly shows northerner. With the name of pure north, no ibo personsef was interviewed in this video. If you can't beat them, just join them
Dude, do I look like a fool to you? That video is cut and join. I have seen one where Obi defeated Tinubu in Ibadan.
LocalStandard1: Hahshahahah. Now I know propaganda is real in this election. I am a Southern Kaduna indigene from Jema'a local government. The name of my grand father is Nyam which means meat in my language. My great grand father's is dek.
Our LG capital is Kafanjan close to Kwoi which is predominantly a Ham or Jaba lands, which we share similar dialect with.
Your turn!
Yet you're scared of meeting me even in any police station of your choice?
Waterysperm: What is your problem Oga? I was in Kaduna last month and I met Christians supporting Obi. Stop all these madness. Why must you meet the person physical abi you wan kidnap am. I don dey suspect you oo. I think we all should be wary of this moniker. I don talk my own.
Says the fraud. Why not meet me at any police station of your choice?
LocalStandard1: As I said on the other thread. "Even if you claim to be a female I will not meet you or share my location with you". I am a private individual.
I asked you what your tribe is and if you want me to speak my language with you.
LocalStandard1: Mister man I am a Gwong by tribe. Two questions, what is the language of the only Christian governor of Kaduna state? What is the meaning his tribal name?
For the record it is pronounced Gyakowa not Yakowa. That is a bonus for you.
Dude, you didn't answer me. I didn't ask for tribe. Anyone can claim anything.
Are you willing to meet me? Name your location sir. I ready for una.
LocalStandard1: Seems you my guy are really a comedian after all! I read when you posted you just arrived KD and now you're already concluding only "some Igbos" support Peter Obi?
I am from Southern Kaduna, I share the same tribe as the only Christian governor in Kaduna's history, the late Patrick Yakowa. If you want more info just ask me.
Southern Kaduna is Obidient, take that to the bank Okay? Good and thank you.
'I am from Southern Kaduna' familiar line.
1. Tell me which city/town/village in 'Southern Kaduna'
2. If you'll agree to meet, let's take samples together. I want to see the 'we-Southern-Kaduna-are-voting-Obi' people.
Politics › APC NWC Fumes, Accuses Tinubu Of Breaching Agreements On Campaign Council by Trinitycian(op): 7:30am On Sep 29, 2022
