There are strong indications that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, might have sown the seed of the new crisis in his Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) by deliberate machination, after he allegedly overrode President Muhammadu Buhari, his party leadership and the progressive governors, in the composition of the council.
THISDAY gathered that the council, though a tripartite institution, structured around the presidential candidate, the party and the president, was originally designed to be driven by the governors, since they were expected to lead the campaigns in their respective states.
Thus, according to sources, Tinubu, the party and the progressive governors, had perfected the composition of an inclusive campaign council, before it was agreed amongst them that the list should be taken to the president for his input (if there’s any) as a mark of respect, an idea Buhari was said to have not only welcomed, but also did as expected of him by making a few inputs.
Unfortunately, a few days after the president had made his input, Tinubu, without recourse to any of the other parties, including Buhari, single-handedly reviewed the list, particularly, tampering with some critical areas that the president and the governors, had indicated interests and agreed with him.
For example, when the list was allegedly taken to Buhari, aside signing off on it, he was said to have indicated interest in Mrs. Margaret Okadigbo, wife of a former Senate President, whom he wanted as the regional coordinator for the South East, apparently deferring to his late friend and former running mate, Senator Chuba Okadigbo, while at the same time, factoring the interest of the South East into the council.
Again, in the South West, the governors were said to have considered the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as the PCC coordinator for the zone, but Tinubu opposed his choice and in his place, would rather the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
The position of secretary of the council, sources told THISDAY, was reserved for the North Central, as part of moves to pacify the minority north. But because the Director-General of the PCC, Governor Simon Lalong, was from Plateau State, it was agreed that the secretary should be taken to Benue State, being a critical state in the middle belt.
Besides, with the controversy so far generated by the Muslim-Muslim preference of the presidential candidate, stakeholders believed picking a Christian from Benue State, would go a long way to quell the staggering opposition to the same faith ticket of the party.
