All is not well with the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the yet-to-be-fixed kick-off of the party’s presidential campaign for the 2023 general election.
This is because the Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC seemingly disapproved of the ‘solo’ presidential campaign council constituted by Bola Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate.
Adamu expressed dissatisfaction with the NWC in a letter titled: “Release of the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign Council Listing”, addressed to the presidential candidate and sighted by BusinessDay early Thursday.
James Faleke, secretary of the APC presidential campaign council last Friday night released a 422-member council which has President Muhamadu Buhari as chairman, Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate and Abdullahi Adamu, the national chairman of the party as deputy chairmen while Simon Lalong, the governor of Plateau state is the director-general.
Also, Kashim Shettima, the party’s vice presidential candidate is to serve as the vice chairman of the council and Adams Oshiomhole, former APC national chairman is to be deputy director-general (operations) while Hadiza Bala Usman is nominated as deputy director-general (Admin) with few NWC serving in it.
But Adamu in his letter said, the NWC received with astonishment and regret, the press release by the council last Friday in which a purported list of appointees was announced, which effectively served as the approved roster of participants in the Party’s Presidential Campaign Council.
He stressed that the purported list not only came as a complete surprise to the NWC and the party’s leadership but also contravened the principles and purposes of the arrangements that he and Tinubu had led towards the adoption of the organogram of the council and its principal officials.
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The former Nasarawa state governor said, such a development would undoubtedly come as “Manna from Heaven” for the opposition parties, whose only desire when all else fails, is to see the introduction of rancour, division and disinclination in the leadership of the party.
“Perhaps it has become necessary owing to the passage of time, that I should draw Your Excellency’s attention to the agreements that we reached in principle around the final adoption of the PCC list, based on the understanding that it was a work in progress, until such a time that the Joint NWC/PCC Committee that was established to formalise the structure and populate the list, submits its report.
“Your Excellency will no doubt recall our meetings in my office and also at the NWC Conference Room at the Party’s National Secretariat, on Wednesday, 7th September 2022, during which we discussed the details of the Organogram of the PCC and its composition, as a collaborative project between the two entities. Our recollection of those meetings leaves us in no doubt that a breach of agreement has occurred, and that a return to the principles of cooperation and respect for each other is required.
“In Your Excellency’s own words, which I take the liberty to quote here, which I also hold dearly, you stated that “there is a burden on everyone’s shoulders towards delivering the elections to the Party and the candidate”. This has been the view of the NWC and myself all along since Your Excellency emerged as our Great Party’s Flagbearer. The NWC is striving under trying circumstances to keep faith with this vision, and to take our Party and candidates to victory, not only in the Presidential elections but in all others across the elective strata of offices.
“May I, therefore, point out to Your Excellency that winning elections is a cooperative as well as a collaborative effort, done in a transparent and disinterested manner by all parties concerned, by respecting established boundaries and acknowledging the contributions of everyone. The NWC believes that any sign of disarray in the Party’s ranks will undermine the spirit and ethos of the campaign and give the undue alarm to faithful members and followers of the Party across the country.
“At the same, such a development would undoubtedly come as “Manna from Heaven” for the opposition parties, whose only desire when all else fails, is to see the introduction of rancour, division and disinclination in the leadership of our Great Party. I am sure Your Excellency will agree with me that this is an eventuality that we must do all in our power to prevent from happening.
“You will also agree that we owe it a duty as leaders to guide by example to the rest of the Party including the PCC, to abide by agreements and adhere strictly to the work ethos that has been adopted by all of us. Only by doing so will we establish the premise for victory and gain the trust and confidence of our dear countrymen and women.
“Without further admonishment or complaints, I wish hereby to call upon Your Excellency to restrain the PCC from undertaking solo projects of this nature and agree to work with all stakeholders towards taking our Party to victory. I shall not find it necessary to reiterate the importance of the Party in the overall scheme of things in these campaigns, and the singular position of the NWC in driving the process towards our securing of victory in the polls.
“It suffices for me to convey the general and overwhelming sentiment of the NWC with regards to the ill-timed and unfortunate release of the PCC list, which confounded rather than pleased the members and whose withdrawal will assure the NWC of Your Excellency’s respect and disposition towards the Party, as well as the magnanimous spirit of cooperation towards achieving victory together with the NWC.
“Please accept, Your Excellency, my personal regard and consideration, as well as the assurances of the of the NWCs’ warm and sincere felicitations,” parts of the letter read.
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