…As Adamu takes over Deputy Chairman
By Moses Adeniyi
Indications have emerged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign may soon kick off any moment as a fresh Presidential Campaign Council with reorganisation of the list of membership composition has emerged.
It would be recalled that an earlier 422-member list signed by the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had generated controversies, suffering rejection that generated resentment among camps of the ruling party.
An alleged letter by Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) accusing the party’s presidential candidate, Tinubu, of playing a solo-game by the former composition had generated controversy, following which the party officially discredited the letter.
With the reorganisation, against the former, Senator Abdullahi Adamu appears to have taken immediate ranking as Deputy Chairman of the Council, rightly below President Muhammadu Buhari who would Chair the ruling party’s Presidential Campaign Council.
The new composition by the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling APC released Wednesday night, gives stronger possibilities of reports that the party’s presidential campaign council would be inaugurated this week and its campaign to kick start soon.
In the fresh list which was signed by the National Secretary of the party, Adamu’s position has been swapped with Tinubu’s, as the former was named the Deputy Chairman of the council, while Tinubu’s candidate becomes the Deputy Chairman II.
For the fresh list, while President Muhammadu Buhari would serve as Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu would serve as Deputy Chairman.
On the list, APC’s presidential candidate, Tinubu would serve as Deputy chairman (II), his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima as Vice Chairman.
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong appears to retain the position of Director General as was captured on the previous list which suffered rejection, while former Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would serve as Deputy Director General (operations) and Hadiza Bala Usman, Deputy Director General (Admin); Suleiman Argungun, Deputy Director General (organisation).
Other leading positions include Rt. Hon. James Faleke (Member – House of Representatives; Ikeja Federal Constituency), Secretary and Christopher Tarka, Deputy Secretary.
While the Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, would serve as Vice Chairman Kebbi State Coordinator; others holding Vice Chairman position include Senator Godswill Akpobio and Barrister Uju Kennedy Ohaneye.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Jigawa State, Badaru Abubakar would serve as regional coordinator (North) and Jigawa State Coordinator, as Senator Abubakar Kyari would serve as Deputy Regional Coordinator (North).
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State would serve as Regional Coordinator (South) and Ebonyi State Coordinator; while Chief Emma Eneukwu, would serve as Deputy Regional Coordinator (South).
In addition to the 603 listed positions, the membership of the council could well rise to over a thousand as the party created a special category “Presidential Campaign Council Members,” to accommodate some stakeholders.
Stakeholders in that category are all APC NWC members, all APC National Assembly Members, all Federal Executive Council Members, all APC former Governors and Deputy Governors, all former APC NWC members and all APC serving members of its National Executive Committee NEC.
Others in the category also include all APC serving Speakers, Deputy Speakers and Principal Officers of State Assemblies, all APC former Speakers of State Assemblies, all APC National and State Assembly Candidates and all APC State Chairmen.
Recall that Nigerian NewsDirect had reported that indications have emerged that President Buhari will on Friday unveil the manifesto and policy document of the presidential candidate of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and inaugurate the long awaited Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.