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The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has again postponed the planned flag off of its 2023 Presidential Election campaign earlier slated for today(Monday) in Abuja.

The development comes as indications emerged that since the arrival of the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from London, high-level consultations were still being held among stakeholders.

Last week, a tripartite meeting of the APC governors, the APC Presidential Campaign Council, (PCC) and the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) was held at the party’s national secretariat.

The meeting was called by the party leadership to discuss the postponed zonal tour by the six National Vice Chairmen and also deliberate on modalities for the proposed ‘APC National Conference’ which it intends to convene before the end of the year.

The national conference is part of its campaign activities which is geared towards reeling out achievements of the party since 2015.

Our correspondent gathered that the meeting also deliberated on the composition of the campaign council.

Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Bayo Onanuga revealed on Sunday that the campaign is a marathon, and had already begun in Lagos, Katsina, Benue, Kogi and several other states.

Noting that it had already begun campaigns in several states of the country, he had announced the October 10 Abuja flag-off but was quick to add that the exercise would be dependent on when the party formally inaugurates its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

Although, the council has not been inaugurated, its women wing has now been slated for inauguration today (Monday) at the Presidential Villa.

Also, in a statement on Saturday signed by the deputy national secretary of the party, Murtala Ajaka, party called on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution his ministers and other public holders opposing the candidacy of the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The ruling party warned public office-holders on the platform of the APC to choose between campaigning for Tinubu’s ticket or resigning their appointments from the party-led administration.

Ajaka’s call comes as a reaction to the public display of apathy towards Tinubu’s presidential candidacy by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.

The minister, who spoke in an interview on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today,’ hesitated when asked if he would endorse his party’s candidate or his fellow kinsman and successor, Peter Obi of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections.

But, Ngige cleverly said he was no longer active in politics and would fancy his chances by making the choice at the ballot.“

I’m not active in politics for now because I am facing national assignment,” he said, when asked his preferred candidate between the APC’s Tinubu and the Labour Party’s Peter Obi.

“Both of them are my friends. My choice will be in the ballot box. It is a secret ballot. I shouldn’t tell Nigerians what I would do secretly.”

But the party image-maker said Ngige’s action was unbecoming of a sitting minister in a government of the ruling party.

The statement reads: “The presidential primary election had long ended and the party had settled for the choice of Senator Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, hence, all the party leaders should put their ambitions behind them for now to deliver the party’s presidential ticket.

“It is expected of a serving minister in an APC government to be a trusted apostle of Tinubu’s presidency in 2023, who along with other party leaders, laboured to ensure the enthronement of the same government in 2015 which they are now serving in.

“Chief Ngige and other APC appointees, especially in the federal cabinet should not forget in a hurry that they are holding onto the party’s mandate, hence, the need to protect it with whatever it requires, but if they can no longer protect the interest of the APC in the public and that of our presidential candidate (Tinubu), I think the honourable thing to do is to step aside from the government formed by the APC.”

The APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary expressed concerns that such statement coming from one of their ministers could generate bad blood among the APC rank and file, calling on the President to call his cabinet members to order and obtain their commitments to deliver the APC in 2023.
By Tom Okpe
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