Barely one week after the All Progressives Congress (APC) named a 422-member presidential campaign council (PCC) ahead of the commencement of the 2023 presidential campaign tomorrow (September 28), the party has deferred the start of electioneering indefinitely.
The director-general, Tinubu/Shettima PCC and governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Lalong disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
He explained that the postponement was meant to accommodate more stalwarts of the party.
The governor did not specify the new date the campaign council would be inaugurated but assured that a new date and timetable of events would be announced soon.
“Recall that we had earlier earmarked a peace walk and prayers for Wednesday, September 28, 2022, to officially kick-off our campaigns for the 2023 Presidential Elections.
“We had also announced that the members of the Campaign Council report at the Campaign Headquarters on that day to collect their letters of appointments.
“However, due to the expansion of the list to accommodate more stakeholders and interests within the APC family, we have decided to adjust the timetable of these activities in order to ensure everyone is on board before activities officially commence. Consequently, the activities earlier announced for the 28th of September will no longer hold
“As the ruling and most attractive party in Nigeria, we understand the sacrifices and understanding of our teeming members who are more than willing to volunteer themselves for this great task ahead. It also shows the enormous love that the party members have for our candidates,” he stated.
Recall that the campaign council headed by President Muhammadu Buhari was announced on Saturday, September 23.
According to the list the party’s presidential candidate and the national chairman, Messrs Bola Tinubu and Abdullahi Adamu, are to serve as deputy chairmen of the council.
Lalong is the director general with James Faleke as secretary of the council.
The party’s vice presidential candidate, Mr. Kashim Shettima, serves as the vice chairman of the council; former national chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, is the deputy director general (organisation) while the erstwhile managing director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. while Hadiza Usman is the deputy director-general (administration).
The PCC also has the governor of Kebbi State, Mr. Atiku Bagudu as vice chairman (north) and state coordinator; former minister, Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, vice chairmen (south-south) and former female presidential aspirant, Ms Uju Kennedy, vice chairman, southeast.
The governor of Jigawa State, Mr. Badaru Abubakar is the regional coordinator for north, while Abubakar Kyari is the deputy regional coordinator, north.
Others appointed are Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi as national youth coordinator, Felix Nicholas, deputy national youth coordinator; Festus Keyamo, spokesperson, Chris Tarka, deputy secretary, Governor Kayode Fayemi, coordinator for Ekiti State and adviser, foreign affairs.
The senate president, Mr. Ahmad Lawan is senior adviser on strategic planning; speaker, house of representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, adviser on legal matters; former governor of Sokoto State, Mr. Aliyu Wamako, adviser on special duties.
Rotimi Amaechi is an adviser on infrastructure; Ibikunle Amosun is adviser on contacts and mobilisation; Dele Alake is adviser on media, communications and public affairs.
Others are Abdullahi Ganduje, adviser political affairs and Kano coordinator; Nasir el-Rufai, coordinator, Kaduna State and senior adviser, policy, strategy and enforcement and Abdulrahaman Danbazzau adviser, strategic engagement.
Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu is zonal co-coordinator for southwest and Ondo State; Gov. Abubakar Sani Bello is the zonal co-coordinator for north-central and his state.
Gov. Muhammed Yahaha is zonal co-coordinator for the north-east and Gombe and Gov. Bello Matawalle is the zonal co-coordinator for the northwest and Zamfara.
The list showed that all APC governors are co-coordinators of the presidential council in their respective states and where there were no sitting governors of the party, governorship candidates take the position.
The PCC with its many directorates was to be inaugurated on September 26 at the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Office in Abuja but it never held.
