The All Progressives Congress, APC, has finally suspended the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, and his counterpart from Imo State, Governor Rochas Okorocha, and the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, from being part of the of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
Party sources revealed that despite their expression of support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s rerun aspiration, both Governors and the Minister, would be kept at arms length from the Presidential campaign, billed to take off in the early weeks of January, next year.
The revelation came just as the Spokesman of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed concerns over the campaign programme of the APC, saying that, the party will not copy the campaign style of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
A reliable source in the APC, disclosed that the list of membership of the campaign team is ready, and that the President has given the National Leadership the nod to unveil it.
It was gathered that the APC Campaign Council would include all the National Officers, all the Governors (excluding Okorocha and Amosun), and National Assembly members elected on its platform, as well as former Governors and top Leaders in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
A top member of the APC, who is close to the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, said that the National Working Committee, NWC, has made its stand on the matter known to Buhari, who has given the party the go ahead to constitute the Campaign Council.
“The party is insisting that only very committed members will be nominated into the campaign team. It cannot be those who are opposed to the Leadership, or have shown divided loyalty”, the source said.
The source added that Oshiomhole is not disposed to having some personalities, especially Okorocha and Amosun, manning key positions in the campaign structure.
He said that the party Chairman has described the actions of the two Governors as highly antagonistic, and as such, should not be rewarded with a front seat position in the Campaign Council.
Oshiomhole was also said to have informed Buhari that the Campaign Council should be made up of only committed party men, and not those that have divided loyalty.
He was also said to be against allowing those who are still pursuing their cases in court against the party or their sponsors, from joining the Campaign.
Shittu, is also angry at his disqualification by the party from participating in the primary elections.
Shittu, who is among those pursuing cases in court against the party, has blamed his ordeal on Oshiomhole.
It was learnt that the anti-Oshiomhole Governors are still scheming to win the heart of the President, and to convince him of their support during next year’s elections.
Another source at the party Headquarters, stressed that the face-off between the Governors and Oshiomhole, and the efforts to reconcile them, have also affected the full commencement of APC Campaign.
