2023: Why We Included PDP Senator in Our Campaign Council – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council says the inclusion of a PDP senator, Chimaroke Nnamani, in its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) was not a mistake.

PCC Director of Media, Bayo Onanuga, stated this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

The inclusion of Mr Nnamani, who is also a former governor of Enugu State, in the 422-member council charged with prosecuting the campaign of APC Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has been generating confusion since Friday when the list of its members was released.

Some had argued that the intended person was a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, a member of the ruling party, who incidentally hails from the Nkanu axis of Enugu East as the former governor.

But in the statement, Mr Onanuga said Mr Nnamani was included in the council because of his personal relationship with Mr. Tinubu.

He stated that the senator may not join the campaign on the field but may give moral support to the APC candidate.

“The PCC will also want to clarify that the appearance of the name of HE Chimaroke Nnamani, a distinguished senator from Enugu State, was not a mistake.

“He is on the list in his own right as a supporter of our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Distinguished Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, who is still away in the United States, is a very close friend of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“He may not be on the field with us as a PDP senatorial candidate in Enugu East, but his presence is indicative that he may have chosen to give ‘moral support’ to his old-time friend and brother.

“In any case, the PCC cannot dictate the extent of Senator Nnamani’s support for his friend and brother. That is part of his fundamental human right which supersedes any provision in a Party Constitution. His position and allegiance to his party is self-defining and does not need any qualifying by us,” he said.

Mr Nnamani, in August, used his verified Twitter handle, to defend Mr Tinubu after the Pyrate Confraternity made some songs disparaging the health of the former Lagos State governor.

He praised Mr Tinubu for the reforms in the administration of criminal justice, education, healthcare and employment of non-indigenes when he was governor of Lagos State.

He said Mr Tinubu has “the best mentorship system” in the country.

“I had cause to engage with him on jobs for Enugu spouses. In the education sector, he introduced Tutor General and raised the bar for teachers,” Mr Nnamani tweeted.

Mr Nnamani did not respond to a request for comment sent to his Twitter Direct Message by this newspaper.