2023: Why Buhari removed Osinbajo from Tinubu’s Campaign Council – APC

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has given clarification as to why Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s name was not included in Bola Tinubbu’s presidential campaign council.
Naija News reports that APC ahead of the 2023 general election released a list containing 422 names of notable individuals as members and department heads in Tinubu’s presidential campaign council.

There were, however, reactions and a series of speculations as Osinbajo’s name was missing from the list.

Recall that Osinbajo was among those that challenged Tinubu for the APC presidential ticket months ago when the party conducted its national convention.

However, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who came second in the primaries, made it to the party’s campaign list which has generated a barrage of reactions.

Reacting, to speculations which have greeted the campaign list, the spokesman of the campaign, Festus Keyamo, in a statement released on Saturday, explained that President Muhammadu Buhari specifically requested that Osinbajo and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, should be excluded from the campaign council.

According to him, Buhari’s reason for the call was so the leaders could focus on governance as he is also part of the campaign council.

The statement reads: “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.”

Keyamo said APC will not at this moment toe the path of those who governed the country in an irresponsible manner.

He boasted that the ruling party is not in total disarray like those claiming they want to ‘rescue’ the country, “but cannot simply manage their own internal affairs.”