Buhari told us to drop Osinbajo from Tinubu's campaign - APC council

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the growing criticisms trailing the absence of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, from the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council list.

How it happened: Pulse reports that Osinbajo and the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, were among party chieftains whose names were conspicuously missing as the ruling party rolled out a 422-man list making up the campaign council.

Also missing on the list, among others, were the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal and former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu.

Mixed reactions ensued: Despite the list having names of other political heavyweights including APC governors, ministers, lawmakers, ambassadors as well as serving and past public office holders, some Nigerians have raised suspicions over Osinbajo's omission.

There have been insinuations that the Vice President was left out because of his alleged strained relationship with Tinubu which dates back to the time of the APC presidential convention.

APC debunks erroneous notion: Justifying Osinbajo's non-inclusion in the list, Spokesman of the council, Festus Keyamo, in a statement on Saturday, September 24, 2022, said President Muhammadu Buhari specifically requested that the Vice President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, be left out of the council to focus on governance.

He said this decision was made to ensure that governance doesn't suffer due to electioneering campaigns.

Keyamo noted that the APC still has the mandate of the Nigerian people to steer the country's affairs until May 29, 2023, and intends to do so responsible.

The statement read: “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.”