JUST IN: APC Set To Expand Tinubu Campaign Council

Mohammed Taoheed reports,

The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is making moves to expand its 422-member list of powerbrokers assigned with the duty of securing victory for its presidential flag-bearer, Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima.

The Director-General of the PCC, Simon Lalong, in a statement on Monday noted that the need for the expansion of the list is to “accommodate more stakeholders and interests within the APC family”.

Lalong, who is also the Plateau State Governor, equally disclosed the postponement of the inauguration of the council and the prayer walk earlier scheduled kick-off campaigns on Wednesday

Part of the statement reads: “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 time-table 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,” Lalong said, adding that a new date and time-table of events will be announced soon.

In the list released on Friday, the ruling party had excluded some supposed rivals of Tinubu, a development that created subtle controversy over the weekend, especially because some of the excluded persons contested the presidential ticket of the party with Tinubu whilst others have been vocal against the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC.

Persons excluded include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, and many other chieftains in the ruling party.