We’re together as members of APC, nothing like lack of consultations – Keyamo

There appears to be some subdued anger within the ranks of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over some actions of the Presidential Candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, since he picked the ticket of the party in June. Specifically, those who spoke to Saturday Telegraph on condition of anonymity expressed worries over what they term as lack of ‘proper and due consultations’ with major stakeholders within the party before major decisions are taken.

“Many of us in the party are worried with the way Asiwaju has been going about his campaign since June 8 when he won the presidential ticket of our party and we are afraid that if remedial actions are not taken, there might be general apathy among members which invariably might cause the defeat of the party next year,” a source who is from North West said. According to him (the source), one of the reasons for the mass defections of members in the North West might not be unconnected with Tinubu’s campaign style, which they claim is not reflective of broad par-ticipation of teeming APC members from across the country.

“What we have been seeing since June is a oneman show where Tinubu takes some vital decisions without wide consultations with leaders and stakeholders in the six-geo-political zones of the country. The only people he consults with and appoints into some of the key posts in the campaign secretariat are people in his immediate circles,” the source said. The source added that the first indication to what to expect from Tinubu by stakeholders was the choice of Kashim Shettima as his running mate, a decision that ultimately alienated him from prominent members in the North West and North Central zones.

“Granted that Shettima is a valued and respected leader in the party who ordinarily should enjoy the privilege of being a running mate, the problem with his choice was that Tinubu took the decision (to pick him) when stakeholders were still deliberating on who should be picked,” the source said. He (the source) added that the hoopla generated by the former Borno State governor’s choice wouldn’t have arisen if Tinubu had consulted widely. As at the time of filing this report, the National Youth Leader of the APC, Mr. Dayo Israel, is at logger heads with his deputy, Jamaludden Kabir over composition of campaign committees for youths. In a viral statement he issued recently, Kabir pointedly accused Israel who is a well-known acolyte of Tinubu of unilaterally constituting the committees which he (Kabir) stated had been skewed against youths from the North.

“I have received calls from far and near from the states’ youth Leaders, especially those from the Northern part of the country, and other youth-led support groups all over the country, condemning the list on various committees put up singlehandedly by the National Youth Leader of our party, the APC. “I want to use this platform to appeal for calm among our Youth who are our party faithful all over the country, and felt aggrieved with the lists of various committee members released on social media by the Youth Leader, Hon. Dayo Israel, that I came to know about myself only when I started receiving calls and text messages from concerned Nigerian Youth,” Kabir wrote. When contacted, Spokesman for the Bola Tinubu Campaign Council and Minister for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, dismissed the claims, saying those making them lack the locus to do so as they are not known to any tier of leadership within the party.

Responding to enquiries from our correspondent, Keyamo said, “The party is well structured and the structures are well defined. Party members who have complaints have to come from a recognised structure and party leaders. Party members must be part of the high echelon of party structure in local government, the state and the federal levels as the case may be.” Keyamo also dismissed claims that appointments into the secretariat of the campaign council have not been broad-based, saying everybody in the APC belongs to the inner circle of Bola Tinubu. “I can tell you that we are together as members of the APC. There is no lack of consultation. You can see how appointments have been made so far bringing everybody together within the party. (Saturday Telegraph:Text, excluding headline)