From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The much-awaited announcement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential National Campaign Council has been shrouded in confusion.
According to the 19-man Campaign Council list currently trending, while President Muhammadu Buhari is the chairman of the Council, the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu, are the first and second deputy chairmen, respectively.
Others are the governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong and former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole are the Director-General and Deputy Director General (Operations) respectively, just as Hadiza Bala Usman is the Deputy Director-General (Admin).
Vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, the only APC female president aspirant, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, the Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu will all serve as Vice Chairmen.
Also, while James Faleke is the Campaign Council Secretary, Christopher Takar, Deputy Secretary, Badaru Abubakar and David Umahi were appointed the regional coordinating chairmen North and South.
Governors of Niger, Gombe, Zamfara, Cross-River, and Imo States, Abubakar Bello, Inuwa Yahaya, Bello Matawale, Ben Ayade, and Hope Uzodinma will function as coordinators for North Central, North-East, North-west, South-South, and South-East respectively.
However, reacting to the trending list in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Director, Media and Publicity, Tinubu Support Group, quoted APC Presidential Campaign Council urging the public to disregard the list of members of the council circulating on social media and published by some online news platforms.
Warning that they did not authorise the list and describing it as unofficial, Onanuga noted the leadership of APC and the Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu will formally unveil the campaign council in due time.
“The party understands the interest of the general public in the APC and its presidential candidate and urged the media to exercise more restraint in dissemination of information that are not correct.
Quoting Faleke, the Secretary of APC Presidential Campaign Council, Onanuga explained that the various directorates of the campaign structure are still being put together in consultation with the APC Governors and other party stakeholders.