The Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has indefinitely postponed the commencement of its campaigns for the 2023 presidential election, which was earlier scheduled for Wednesday, September 28.
The decision follows plans to expand its 422-member list of powerbrokers who were tasked with the job of ensuring victory for its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and his running mate, Kashim Shettima.
This disclosure is contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Director-General of the PCC, Governor Simon Lalong, who explained that the reason for the expansion of the list is to accommodate more stakeholders and interests within the APC family.
Lalong, who had also announced the postponement of the council’s inauguration and the prayer walk to help kick start the campaigns, said a new date would be announced soon.
What Governor Lalong is saying
Simon Lalong, who is also the Governor of Plateau State in his statement said, “Recall that we had earlier earmarked a peace walk and prayers for Wednesday, September 28, 2022, to officially kick-off our campaigns for the 2023 Presidential Elections. We had also announced that the members of the Campaign Council report to the Campaign Headquarters on that day to collect their letters of appointment.
“However, due to the expansion of the list to accommodate more stakeholders and interests within the APC family, we have decided to adjust the timetable of these activities in order to ensure everyone is on board before activities officially commence.
“Consequently, the activities earlier announced for the 28th of September will no longer hold,” Lalong said, adding that a new date and time-table of events will be announced soon.’’
In case you missed it
- Recall that the APC Presidential Campaign Council on Friday night released a 422-man list of powerbrokers as members of the council tasked with the responsibility of ensuring victory for the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, at the February 2023 presidential election.
- The released list excluded some notable leaders of the ruling party. This development raised a lot of dust as some of them were regarded as rivals to the presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, while others were fiercely opposed to the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the party.
- Some of the prominent names missing include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, amongst others.
- However, in a clarification, the leadership of the APC Presidential Campaign Council said that Osinbajo and Mustapha were omitted due to the specific directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that they should be left out of the Council to concentrate on the governance of the country.
