Name northerner campaign DG, Babachir panel tells Tinubu

 

Members of the Planning and Strategy Committee of the Tinubu Support Group have advised the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the appointment of his campaign Director-General and the zoning of leadership seats in the National Assembly and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

 

The committee’s Chairman, Babachir Lawal, who is also a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, made the recommendations in the committee’s report tagged ‘Report on the Actualisation of the Presidency of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Coming 2023 General Election.’

 

According to a copy of the document sighted our correspondent on Saturday, 22 of the committee’s 23 members signed the document with the exception of a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu.

 

The report partly read, “It is advised that the DG emerges from the northern part of the country.

 

“Qualities of a DG: seasoned and grassroots mobiliser; a good orator; must not be a contestant for any elective position in the forthcoming election to avoid distractions; a team player; non-confrontational; must be well abreast with national politics; passion loyalty and deep commitment for the project.

 

“The committee further recommends in consonance with organogram as prepared by the Organogram and Technical Committee that gender balance should be strongly considered for the position of Deputy DG’s North or South.”

 

The panel also advised the APC on how to share other national offices.

 

The recommendation read, “In response to addressing the key positions, their religion and the likely public backlash that might arise, these recommendations were given for balance: Also, our principal should hold consultations with religious leaders and stakeholders across the society.

 

“President, South-West; Vice-President, North-East; Senate President, North-West; Speaker, South-East; Deputy Senate President, South-South;  Deputy Speaker, North-East; SGF, North-Central; APC Chairman, North-Central; Chief of Staff (to the President), subject to Mr. President’s decision.”

 

Ohanaeze denies endorsement

 

Meanwhile, the apex body of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has denied endorsing Tinubu for the 2023 elections.

 

In a statement signed by the group’s Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group said, “What was misinterpreted as an endorsement was a clarion call for a change in the attitudes of the APC South East governors and senators, whose activities de-marketed the South East in the APC primaries.

 

“Ndigbo was ashamed to admit that an APC South East Governor, who led APC to their defeats in Edo and Anambra governorship elections, spearheaded the aspiration of a North East aspirant against the South East aspirants in APC primary.”

 

According to Isiguzoro, Ndigbo will officially declare openly the candidate who is entitled to Igbo votes in 2023, “but for now there is no endorsement of any presidential candidate.”