Muslim-Muslim: APC Divided Over Campaign Council As El-Rufai, Lalong Emerge As Favourites For DG

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to constitute its presidential campaign council over fears of fielding another Muslim as campaign Director-General.

Naija News reports that the ruling party had received backlash over its decision to field a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket for the 2023 general election.

Some individuals have interpreted the presidential ticket of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima as a plan to marginalise Christians.

Sources close to the party said that some APC leaders have not been able to agree on who should lead the campaign, adding that others believe that religion should not be an issue, while others argued that the issue was enough to divide the party.

Speaking to The PUNCH, a party member said that while Tinubu had ceded the power to appoint the director-general of the campaign council to the governors, the governors were divided on who the DG should be.

The source said, “Tinubu wants a former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole. The governors have rejected that, and he seems to have agreed to that.

“However, the governors have not been able to agree on whether the replacement to the former governor of Edo State should be the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, or his Plateau State counterpart, Simon Lalong.”

Campaign Council May Be Announced Next Week

Meanwhile, the Director of Media, Tinubu Campaign Train, Bayo Onanuga, said, “We are not going to comment on the matter,” when contacted to speak on the matter.

On whether Lalong was being considered as the director-general of the Tinubu Campaign Council, he said, “People should wait for us to release the names of those to be appointed to the campaign council. By next week, everything will be clear. By then, we will know who will be the DG and who will be the chairman. By next week, everything will be clear.”

APC On Sidelining Christians

On his part, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, denies insinuation that the party consistently sidelines Christians.

He stated, “The current Vice-President of Nigeria is not just a Christian, but a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. How has the party ignored Christians? This is APC’s second term of about eight years, by the way.

“We have a southerner who was elected the presidential candidate of APC. The PDP zoned their presidency to a northern Muslim. Why is that not the issue?

“In any event, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made a decision, and we are hoping that our Christian brothers everywhere, whether in the North or in the South, will understand that what the APC has done is a decision made by a candidate and it is not meant to denigrate or in any way suggest that Christians are incapable.

“We have Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as our presidential candidate and Kashim Shettima as our vice-presidential candidate, and we are looking forward to the election in 2023.”