Zakaa Lazarus, Abuja.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday in Abuja appointed all it’s governors into the National Campaign Council for the upcoming Osun state governorship election.
The party said the council will be led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Abdullahi Ganduje of Lagos and Kano states respectively.
In a letter signed by APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, and National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, has it that the 86-member National Campaign Council were inaugurated on Thursday at the party secretariat in Abuja.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting, Adamu said:We are here to inaugurate the national campaign council of the forth coming Osun state governorship election.
“You will recall that just about a week ago, faced the challenge that was posed by the governorship election of Ekiti state and with God’s own grace, we were able to scale with flying colors it was by the divine grace of our Creator mighty God.
“The next huddle we have is to confront with all vigor with all strength that we can master the forth coming Osun governorship election.
“So we must be prepared to face him eyeball to eyeball.
“There is no sparing for any reason what so ever, no sparing his party the PDP.
“We are going there to win by the grace of God.
“That plan to win, the ability to execute the plan is with the leadership that this council is going to provide in the campaign efforts.
” I urge you to leave no stone unturned. I urge you to go there and do whatever is doable within the laws of Nigeria and our electoral laws to win.
“My tolerance level and this national working committee level for failure is really really zero.
“Most of you have been statesmen in your own right, the offices you held before today, but for this exercise take off the big guns take off the creepy suits were and go down the trench and bring that victory we want.
“Nobody should come back to us crying, failure is not our own by the grace of God.
“Let them go complain let them go wherever,let’s win the election, we have no apologies whatsoever for this posture because these two elections are for best to the national election coming up in 2003.
” It will go in our credentials that we have the winning track record this National Working Committee that you elected we have a commitment.
“What we mean by the commitment is the 2023 general election is facing us. We have to face it squarely.
“There’s no option to wining the national election and these state elections are like I said forebears to the national election.
“we must show those who love us by showing those who are our adversaries in the strongest possible way that we are in control.
“No apologize to anybody, we are the party of government, we are the party ruling the country today, no apologize for anybody.
The reality is Nigerians chose APC and we’ll do everything we can to retain this position of envy.
Now, we have determined as a party, who will be our flag bearer in the forthcoming presidential election in 2023.
“We have chief Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinibu as our presidential candidate you all know that.
“No these elections are first steps, we are taking towards victory in 2023 we must not play with this, we start preparing for these now.
“The challenge, everybody’s arrow is pointing at us, so we must show our capacity to bear the pressure and move out forces forward to victory.
“We are winning the battle of the states, but the real war to be won is the presidential election in 2023.
While speaking on behalf of the appointed campaign council Gov.
Abdullahi Ganduje assured the party’s victory in Osun.
He said: “Our national chairman, we want to assure you that we will work day and night. We will be committed. Some of us have already started behind the scene. One important issue about Osun election is reconciliation. Internal dynamics of the party is very important.
“So reconciliation is totally necessary so that we will believe in each other. We agreed that all stakeholders in osun state will come together and constitute into one single force in order to win this important election.
We congratulate members of the NWC for the last week victory of the Ekiti governorship election which we score over 60%. We also want to congratulate the chairman for the victory at the election.
“I assure you Mr chairman, this time this election, will be conclusively conclusive. I believe the stakeholders in Osun State will add value to their preparedness. And ensure that the 30 LGAs in Osun State leadership have all prepared for this election.
“We will take the previous events and unify it and see how things stood at that time. And what variables that went in-between the election and now. And see how we can compete for success because this is our efforts to our party.
“Some of us who participated in the last election that brought the current governor into office, we knew the interplay of variables that tool place. And that led us to a new terminology in election, inconclusive election.
“We are seeking for the cooperation of all stakeholders especially our governors. Members of NWC to coordinate well with all the committees and stakeholders in conducting an election. So, we want to assure you that this election is a task that must be done within the processes of democracy and also within legal procedures.
Meanwhile the governor Abubakar Bello of Niger state is the deputy chairman of the council, other governors are Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state; Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state; Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state; Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state; Babagana Zulum of Borno; Yahaya Bello of Kogi state; Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state; Aminu Masari of Katsina state; Abdulrahaman AbdulRazaq of Kwara; Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa: Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state; Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state; Hope Uzodinma of Imo state; Simon Lalong of Plateau; Mai Mala Buni of Yobe; Dave Umahi of Ebonyi; Ben Ayade of Cross River state; Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara; are all Vice chairmen.
Other vice chairmen are Senate President Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
The list also includes former and current ministers, political appointees, ambassadors, Senators and House of Representative members.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mallam Aliyu Ahmed, was appointed secretary, while Prince Tona Famodera is the assistant secretary.
Osun state governorship election will take place on Saturday June 26, 2022.
The incumbent Governor of Osun state, Adegboyega Oyetola, is running against Senator Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
