APC to inaugurate Edo governorship elections campaign councils
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to establish the National Governorship Campaign Council for the Edo and Ondo States elections, scheduled for September and November respectively.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set the off-season governorship election in Edo State for September 21, 2024, while the election in Ondo State will be held on November 16, 2024.
Checks by The Nation in the Organisation Directorate of the party in Abuja showed that barring any fundamental change, the NWC is to release and inaugurate Edo State National Governorship Elections Campaign Council early next month.
The Ondo state version of the council is being packaged for early August, 2024.
It was gathered that the delay in constituting and inaugurating Edo State council was due to efforts by the NWC to harmonise all the names of nominees from various stakeholders contacted by the party’s highest administrative organ for submission of nominees to serve on the council.
The Nation learnt for the all inclusive campaign councils for the two elections, members of the NWC, the State Working Committee (SWC), the two governorship candidates and their running mates and some identified critical stakeholders of the party in the two states have forwarded their nominations for proper compilation by the Organisation Directorate.
Our source also hinted that the party is reaching out to governorship aspirants in the party’s shadow elections in the two states to serve in the campaign councils in other ensure victory at the polls for the party’s candidates.
A top official of the party in the Organisation Directorate who spoke in confidence said the party was set to unveil the Edo State National Governorship Elections Campaign Council in the first week of July.
“We are conscious of the fact that we are behind schedule for the Edo State election, so the party will be inaugurating the council first week in July.
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“All the stakeholders in the state and members of the other statutory bodies of the party who are expected to nominate members of the council have sent their list before the Sallah break. We only expecting the nominations from the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and the National Assembly.
“The NWC is billed to meet in this week to harmonise all the names submitted with a view to having a well compact and all inclusive council. We are not ready to take chance. Everybody is brought on board to serve in the councils of the two states, including aspirants who contested the party primary.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru in a telephone interview on Sunday confirmed that the NWC will be meeting to finalise the list of the council.
“We are inaugurating the Edo State governorship campaign council first. The NWC will be meeting to deliberate on the nominations from all the critical stakeholders and statutory bodies.”
He was however not categorical about the inauguration date for the council. He simply said: “We are inaugurating that of Edo State first and that will be immediately after NWC meets.”
