Former Minister of Aviation who is now Director, New Media of APC Presidential Campaign Council, Femi-Fani Kayode, has slammed the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, for claiming that Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and Secretary to the Government of the Federation,Boss Mustapha, rejected to be on the list of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for the 2023 general elections.
He said saying the duo turned down the offers because of Muslim-Muslim ticket does not make sense.
APC had on Friday released 442 campaign council members with President Muhammad Buhari as Chairman.
Missing on the list is the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo who contested against Tinubu at the level of party primaries.
Reacting to the omission of Osinbajo’s name from the list, Daniel Bwala, spokesperson of the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign alleged that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), “rejected” the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We salute the courage of Professor Osinbajo and Boss Mustapha for rejecting the M-M ticket by asking to be left out of the campaign council of APC. Say no to religious politics. Nigerians would decide at the polls,” he tweeted.
While setting the record straight, Festus Keyamo, spokesperson of the Tinubu campaign council, released a statement to clarify the situation.
Keyamo said President Muhammadu Buhari requested the vice president’s exclusion to allow him “concentrate on governance of the country and administration of government”.
“Our attention has been drawn to some stories making the rounds that there may be something amiss within the family of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the name of our own revered and respected Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, is not included in the list of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council,” he
said.
“Nothing can be farther from the facts. For the avoidance of doubt, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, is the chairman of the campaign council. As a result, Mr President has SPECIFICALLY directed that the Vice-President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, should be left out of the Campaign Council to concentrate on the governance of the country and administration of government.
“As a responsible party and government, all the key functionaries of government cannot abandon their positions for electioneering campaigns. The APC has the mandate of the Nigerian people to administer the country on their behalf at least till May 29, 2023, and this we intend to do with all sense of responsibility.”
In his own reaction, the Director of Media of Tinubu-Shettima Campaign Council, Fani-Kayode asked those saying Osinbajo and Boss Mustapha rejected to be on the list to get their head examined.
The former minister in his series of tweets on Sunday, urged the Peoples Democratic Party, to stop obsessing and whining about APC’s same-faith ticket and the composition of the ruling party’s PCC.
He challenged the Peoples Democratic Party to meet them on the battle field next year and stop talking crap adding that the party should bury their heads in shame by thinking of another northerner succeeding President Muhammad Buhari after his eight years tenure as President of this country.
”Anyone that suggests that @ProfOsinbajo or @BossMustaphSGF rejected a place on the @OfficialAPCNg Presidential Campaign Council because of our Muslim/Muslim ticket needs to have his head examined. Why are these creatures from the Peoples Dunce Party so obsessed with our PCC.
”They left Bode George, Segun Mimiko & many others from the Wike camp out of their PCC because these men had the courage & decency to reject the proposition of another 8 years of Fulani rule after Pres. Buhari which would endanger the peace and unity of our country and turn every southerner & Middle Belter into a slave. Are those that took this noble stand to reject slavery, subjugation & bondage, not heroes? Is it a crime to insist on being treated as an equal? Should these men not be commended for their foresight & vision & decency?
”Yet instead of honouring them their party of slaves & slave masters seek to punish them for their noble stand & insist on having their pres. candidate, their National Chairman and the DG of their PCC are ALL from the North even though this violates their party constitution & all the strictures of justice, decency, equity & morality.
”What type of madness is this? Is this the party that OBJ, UMYA & GEJ led? What a pity! What a tragedy! If these PDP creatures do not stop this nonsense even the Obidients will defeat them & push them into 3rd place in the presidential election. Finally get this: we do not zone political offices on the basis of religion, we zone them on the basis of region zone & political expediency.
”That is why the PDP fielded a Christian/Christian ticket in Osun state & won the Governorship election even though the state has a 50% Muslim population and no one complained. Why should the leaders of PDP be so concerned about our Muslim/Muslim ticket when their party fielded a Christian/Christian one in Osun? What is good for the goose is surely good for the gander!
”This issue is a matter of choice. Someone tell these misfits of the Peoples Dunce Party & their accursed leaders to stop obsessing & whining about our same faith ticket & the composition of our PCC and instead meet us in the field. They should stop talking crap and crying more than the bereaved and let the people decide. That is what you call democracy.”