- Oshiomhole, state chairmen, candidates map out strategies
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has asked President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) not to allow “Abuja” politicians to dominate the party’s campaign council.
He also cautioned the party to be careful with those saying that they will campaign for the president but not the governorship candidates in their states.
Lalong’s position is coming as the state chairmen and governorship candidates of the APC passed a vote of confidence on the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) at a meeting held yesterday at its national secretariat in Abuja.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the meeting with the leadership of the party, Lalong expressed worry that some influential persons who reside in Abuja have started lobbying to take over appointments in the Presidential Campaign Council.
He said the danger in allowing such persons hijack the campaigns is that they do not have grassroots impact and will ultimately be less useful in the campaign.
The governor also expressed worry on the delay in forming the campaign council.
“I remembered that as chairman of National Caucus, the president will say that the campaign for president and vice president is going to be borne by the states and that it is the state that will vote for the president and not Abuja. “That emphasis is that when it comes to election, people should learn to return to their states.
Earlier while addressing the chairmen and governorship candidates of APC, Oshiomhole asked them to ensure that they form an-all inclusive campaign council at the state level.
He advised them to try and extend hands of fellowship to those who may have lost out during the primaries.
The national chairman however frowned at the posture of some of the aggrieved aspirants who he said were trying to hold the party to ransom by refusing to withdraw cases in court despite reconciliation efforts.
He said such individuals by their actions are wittingly or unwittingly paving the way for the opposition to win against the APC.
“I am aware that we have some instances where some people have to go to court. And they are in two parts. There are some who is asking the court to declare them the winner. It will be subjudice for me to comment on such matters or cases. “But, where people are going to court to claim that there were no primaries, such persons are not looking for solutions. Such persons are more or less agents of opposition.
“This is because if the court were to uphold their prayers, it means our party will have no candidate in such states. “And the implication is that opposition will win such state. So, we have to distinguish between those who are in court in pursuance of justice and those being sponsored by opposition particularly in states where APC do not have sitting governors,” he said.
