The spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, has stated that the inclusion of Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, in the 422-man list of the APC electioneering train was deliberate.
The inclusion of Nnamani, a serving senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District, caused a stir on social media when the campaign list was unveiled on Saturday.
But Keyamo declared that his inclusion was not an error as many Nigerians alluded, insisting that no part of the Electoral Act or Provision stipulates that a party member has to campaign for his political platform’s presidential candidate at all cost.
He clarified this when he appeared on ‘Politics Today,’ aired on Channels Television.
This is even as the Senior Advocate of Nigeria maintained that Nnamani’s silence was enough for people to know that he is part and parcel of the campaign train of the party’s Presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
According to him, none of the compiled names of nominees was done in error.
He said, “All I can tell you concerning that was there was no rebuttal on the part of Senator Nnamani. The rebuttal should come from him, not from us.
“Campaigning for a political party on which party you wish to become a member is a choice, not legal. It is a matter for the party to deal with it according to his rule. But I can tell you, as a lawyer, that I have looked up the Constitutional.
“No electoral act or provision says you have to campaign for a presidential candidate at all cost. Don’t forget there is a fundamental right in our Constitution to associate freely with who you want to associate with.
“If you associate with a party and don’t believe in any of its candidates and want to campaign for the candidate of another party in respect of a position, I think it is an issue that the other party should deal with. We won’t deal with it.
“But I can tell you since his name appeared on our list, up till now there is no rebuttal from his side.”
In a related development, the Director of Media and Publicity for APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, further cleared any doubt, saying the serving PDP senator was not a mistake.
Onanuga, who made the assertion in a statement issued in Abuja, disclosed that Nnamani is a bosom friend of Tinubu and is willing to support him all the way.
He said, “The PCC will also want to clarify that the appearance of the name of 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 are self-defining and do not need any qualifying by us.
“Any explanation as to his status should come from the other party and not from us who are very proud to be associated with him.”