2023: ‘Why VP Osinbajo, Ngige Are Not Campaigning For Tinubu’

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has revealed why Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and some other stakeholders have not been seen at the campaign rally of the party’s presidential candidate,  Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Naija News reports that some members of the party, including the Vice President, have not been seen campaigning for their party’s candidate since the APC flagged off its presidential campaign in Jos on November 15, 2022.

Despite attending social events, Osinbajo, a former Commissioner of Justice in Lagos State under Tinubu’s administration, had been silent on the former Lagos State governor’s campaign since he lost at the party’s primary election.

Reports had emerged claiming the Vice-President had remained silent on Tinubu’s campaign as a way to distance himself from the Muslim-Muslim ticket fielded by the ruling party.

Also, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has been absent from the campaign train of his party.

Recall that Ngige had stated that he would remain neutral for next month’s election as major presidential candidates are close to him.

Speaking to The PUNCH on their absence from the campaigns, the APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesman and Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, said the Vice President was acting on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to concentrate on governance.

He said, “Rotimi Amaechi (former Minister of Transportation) was there in Adamawa State and Jos recently; he has been going to the rallies, but he has picked the ones he wants to attend.

“For the Vice President, it was a directive for him to face governance, and you can see Mr. President has been going round campaigning. Also, Ngige is not campaigning against our party. He just said he would remain neutral for his own reasons, and that is just one minister out of 43.

“We have an absolutely strong coalition in the APC, unlike the PDP that has virtually collapsed.”