By Ismail Auwal
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, former speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, are conspicuously missing as the All Progressives Congress (APC) released presidential campaign council list for the 2023 election.
In the 422-man list released by the APC presidential campaign council, secretary, James Faleke, in Abuja on Friday , Former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, former Minister of State for Education were also missing.
Those ommitted from the list have been at loggerheads or engaged in cold war with the presidential candidate over his preference for the contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket with the exception of Yemi Osinbajo who contested against Tinubu. The VP was Commissioner for Justice when the APC flagbearer was governor.
However, ex-Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, first runner-up at the primary, was named Special Adviser on Infrastructure.
Dogara and Lawal had distanced themselves from the ruling party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima.
The list has names of political heavyweights including APC governors, ministers, lawmakers, ambassadors as well as serving and past public office holders.
President Muhammadu Buhari is the PCC Chairman, Tinubu is the Deputy Chairman, and APC National Chairman, Deputy Chairman II.
Vice Presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima is the Vice Chairman; Plateau Governor Simon Lalong, Director General; Adams Oshiomhole, Deputy Director, Operations Hadiza Usman, Deputy Director, Administration.
Others who made the list include hundreds of former and serving Governors, Senators, House of Representatives members and Ministers.
The rest are government officials, party elders (Campaign Patrons) and chieftains in States, women and youth leaders, as well as thespians.
APC Governors (and governorship candidates) will serve as the Coordinator of their States. In addition to the role, a few of them will also act as Zonal Coordinator or Special Adviser.
The Directors are Festus Keyamo, Public Affairs; Femi Fani-Kayode, New Media; Bayo Onanuga, Media and Publicity; Mohammed Idris, Strategic Communications; Aminu Jaji, Contact and Mobilization.
Bello Goronyo, Youth Mobilization; Birnin Kudu, Parliamentarian; Mustapha Muhaja, Campaign Planning; Wale Edun, Finance; Babatunde Fashola, Election Planning and Monitoring.
Gbemisola Saraki, Trade and Economic; Bobboi Kagama, Labour; Abike Dabiri, Protocol and Events; Nuhu Ribadu, Stakeholders Relations; Musa Babayo, Policy and Research; Ade Omole, Diaspora.
Hassan Liman, Legal; Jubril Abdulmalik, Intelligence and Security; Kolade Alabi, Local Government; Musiliu Obanikoro, SDGs; Ayuba Gufwan, PWD; Jack Rich, Fund Raising; Zack Orji, Performing Arts, among others.
