Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, was removed as the party’s director general for its presidential campaign, according to an APC chief.
El-Rufai was dropped, according to the APC chieftain who spoke to the Sun on the condition of anonymity. This is due of the issue surrounding the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket.
El-Rufai was thought to be more dynamic and influential, he added.
However, due to the same faith joint ticket, the party was forced to endorse Simon Lalong, the governor of Plateau State, as the DG.
The party’s head pointed out that because Kashim Shettima, the DG, is a Muslim, the party will be unable to promote Bola Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate.
He claimed that the electable Christians who would have been selected are unhappy with the party’s same-faith ticket.
But the APC Chieftain added, “But our party and the presidential candidate have limited options because the campaign DG must be a Christian to balance the mistake of the same faith joint ticket. The party leaders had considered a more vibrant and influential Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai for the position, but quashed it based on the same religious concerns.
“What would they tell Nigerians during the campaign? That the president, the party’s National Chairman, the presidential candidate and his running mate are all from the same religious extraction? The reliable and accepted Christians they would have considered were still feeling bitter over their rejections as running mates. Otherwise, they would not have settled for the colourless, less influential Plateau governor.
“You and I know that in the scale of acceptability, Rotimi Amaechi, would have been better than Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to function well in that role given to Adams, but Amaechi, like many other presidential aspirants, is still feeling aggrieved and would not want to take any role in the national campaign council.
“So, those appointed seem to be a case of the available being desirable. This same precarious situation may have accounted for the delay or inability of our party to constitute the final comprehensive list of the members of the presidential campaign council.
“Again, it looks as if the doors are shut against Southeast APC chieftains because apart from the involvement of Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, it seems there was no conscious attempt to reach out to the aggrieved ones, especially the presidential aspirants since the end of the party primary. It is either that the presidential candidate did not consider them relevant and competent or he is afraid of sabotage from them.”
Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, was removed as the party’s director general for its presidential campaign, according to an APC chief.
El-Rufai was dropped, according to the APC chieftain who spoke to the Sun on the condition of anonymity. This is due of the issue surrounding the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket.
El-Rufai was thought to be more dynamic and influential, he added.
However, due to the same faith joint ticket, the party was forced to endorse Simon Lalong, the governor of Plateau State, as the DG.
The party’s head pointed out that because Kashim Shettima, the DG, is a Muslim, the party will be unable to promote Bola Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate.
He claimed that the electable Christians who would have been selected are unhappy with the party’s same-faith ticket.
But the APC Chieftain added, “But our party and the presidential candidate have limited options because the campaign DG must be a Christian to balance the mistake of the same faith joint ticket. The party leaders had considered a more vibrant and influential Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai for the position, but quashed it based on the same religious concerns.
“What would they tell Nigerians during the campaign? That the president, the party’s National Chairman, the presidential candidate and his running mate are all from the same religious extraction? The reliable and accepted Christians they would have considered were still feeling bitter over their rejections as running mates. Otherwise, they would not have settled for the colourless, less influential Plateau governor.
“You and I know that in the scale of acceptability, Rotimi Amaechi, would have been better than Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to function well in that role given to Adams, but Amaechi, like many other presidential aspirants, is still feeling aggrieved and would not want to take any role in the national campaign council.
“So, those appointed seem to be a case of the available being desirable. This same precarious situation may have accounted for the delay or inability of our party to constitute the final comprehensive list of the members of the presidential campaign council.
“Again, it looks as if the doors are shut against Southeast APC chieftains because apart from the involvement of Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, it seems there was no conscious attempt to reach out to the aggrieved ones, especially the presidential aspirants since the end of the party primary. It is either that the presidential candidate did not consider them relevant and competent or he is afraid of sabotage from them.”
