The Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress on Monday defended its inclusion of the name of a Peoples Democratic Party Senator, Chimaroke Nnamani, in its list of individuals tasked with the responsibility to ensure victory for the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, at next year’s polls.
In a statement on Monday, the Council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, said Nnamani’s name on the list was not a mistake, adding that the list was not in any way partial.
Onanuga said, “The PCC will also want to clarify that the appearance of the name of HE Chimaroke Nnamani, a distinguished senator from Enugu State, was not a mistake.
“He is on the list in his own right as a supporter of our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Distinguished Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, who is still away in the United States, is a very close friend of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“He may not be on the field with us as a PDP senatorial candidate in Enugu East, but his presence is indicative that he may have chosen to give ‘moral support’ to his old-time friend and brother.
“In any case, the PCC cannot dictate the extent of Senator Nnamani’s support for his friend and brother. That is part of his fundamental human right which supersedes any provision in a Party Constitution. His position and allegiance to his party is self-defining and does not need any qualifying by us.
“Any explanation as to his status should be coming from the other party and not from us who are very proud to be associated with him.”
Nnamani, who currently represents Enugu East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, was listed as the 350th member of the 422-man list released on Friday night.
The situation came as a surprise to many Nigerians but the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, on Saturday said Tinubu enjoys support beyond the APC and it is not unusual for the “cross-party alignment”.
