Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday, inaugurated the Tinubu/Shettima Grassroot Independent Campaign Council (ICC) with a mandate that the party’s Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu, wins the 2023 election.
The independent campaign council was inaugurated in Yenagoa to complement the presidential campaign council ahead of the 2023 election.
An APC chieftain and former governorship aspirant, Mr Preye Aganaba, who emerged as the Bayelsa State Coordinator of the ICC, said Tinubu’s victory was sure adding that the campaign structures were only worried about the margin of difference between him and the candidate that would come second.
Aganaba described the APC Bayelsa as formidable and recalled that the party in the last election won the governorship poll and gave President Muhammadu Buhari over 42 per cent of the votes.
He said the ICC had structures in the 36 states and Abuja as well as in the 774 local government areas.
He said Tinubu desired to have partners that would collaborate with him in governance and not supporters.
Describing the inauguration as a call to duty, he said it was the first time a presidential candidate established independent structures to complement the efforts of the party’s campaign council.
“We have inaugurated the Bayelsa State chapter of the Independent Campaign Council for Tinubu/Shettima. It is a novelty, the first time a presidential candidate is having his own campaign structure aside from that of the party. So, our job is to complement the presidential campaign council.
“For a state like Bayelsa where there is no governorship election in Feb. 2023, it also enhances the chances of the candidate because our job is to galvanize support that will be absent where there is no governorship candidate.
“What we want is not supporters, we want partners. That is what our candidate wants, who will partner with him to go to the election and also a partner in government. Everybody knows that we are all grassroots politicians and that we will succeed at the end of the day.
“We have done well; Lagos is an example. Lagos is the most prosperous state in Nigeria today because somebody set up a process that has pushed Lagos to the most formidable state in Nigeria today. So we are not doing this because of our personal interest, we are doing it because of our love for Nigeria.
“Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu was a governor; his record is there for everybody to scrutinize. He is the best in the field and he is going to win the election, Nigerians know that. We are only thinking about his margin of difference between the first and the second candidate.” Aganaba said:
Other members of the ICC are Eddi Julius, Secretary; Joseph Fafi Admin.
Support groups that made the ICC include Fin; Emmanuel Orianzi, Ops & Orgs; Ruby Nyanayo, Media; Fortune Alfred, ICT/SR; Sata-Owugha Caroline Ngoebiye, Women; Atikpa Bolouebi Stephen, Youth.
Other support groups listed are Joseph Anthony, DataVer.; Roseline Ajua Appa, Election MGTM; Edison Sogwe, Support GRP and Barr. Peres Peretu Cont & Mob.
Those unveiled as local government coordinators are Timi Bou, Ekeremor LGA; Prince Boloye Sufadoh, Sagbama LGA; Iberebo Ayebainaemi, Nembe LGA; Ebidouwei Alagoa, Southern Ijaw LGA
Others are Velia Amaebi, Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA; Chris Otobo, Yenagoa LGA; Allison Dogibara, Brass LGA and William Godknows, Ogbia LGA.