BUHARI HAS ORDERED THE EXCLUSION OF OSINBAJO AND THE SGF FROM TINUBU'S CAMPAIGN - COUNCIL

The Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari directed the exclusion of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo from the council.

Aside from Osinbajo, the President also ordered the exclusion of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, the Council said on Saturday in a statement issued by its spokesman, Festus Keyamo.

Despite pressure to step down for Tinubu, Osinbajo ran for the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential ticket.

Since the primaries, the vice president has made no comments in support of Tinubu, fueling speculation about strained relations between the two politicians from the same political family in Lagos.

During Tinubu's tenure as Lagos governor, Osinbajo served as the state's attorney general and commissioner for justice.

Keyamo dismissed apprehension over Osinbajo's exclusion from the campaign council as needless because "there is no cause for concern."

Part of the statement read: "Our attention has been drawn to some stories making the rounds that there may be something amiss within the family of the All Progressives Congress as the name of our own revered and respected Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, is not included in the list of the Tinubu/ Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.

"Nothing can be farther from the facts. For the avoidance of doubt, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, is the Chairman of the Campaign Council. As a result, Mr. President has specifically directed that the Vice-President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha should be left out of the Campaign Council to concentrate on the governance of the country and administration of Government.

"As a responsible Party and Government, all the key functionaries of government cannot abandon their positions for electioneering campaigns. The APC has the mandate of the Nigerian people to administer the country on their behalf at least till May, 29, 2023, and this we intend to do with all sense of responsibility.