An alleged viral list circulating online claiming to be the roster of 197 prominent figures enlisted by the ruling All Progressives Congress for the Edo gubernatorial campaign council, which included the late Ifeanyi Ubah from Anambra, has been disclaimed as false.
The uproar surrounding the Edo APC campaign preparations for the upcoming September 21st governorship election arose just three weeks after the unfortunate passing of Ubah was made public. The businessman-turned-politician passed away on July 27 in London at the age of 52.
Upon the release of the campaign train list by the APC on July 31, presented by the National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, some objections were raised by Nigerians regarding the inclusion of the deceased lawmaker.
Critics of the ruling party and certain publications (aside from PUNCH) seized the opportunity to criticize what they considered a blunder, drawing parallels to errors made by the previous administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari during appointment announcements.
The campaign list from the APC unveiled the unexpected inclusion of the reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo, Philip Shaibu, with Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu appointed as chairman. Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda and former Edo Governor Adams Oshiomhole were named co-chairman and deputy chairman, respectively.
Other members on the list featured Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as Assistant Secretary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo, as well as Governors Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, and others elected under the APC banner.
In response to the situation, the APC characterized it as a deliberate ploy by online critics to discredit the party. Bala Ibrahim, the National Publicity Director of the APC, expressed that using the name or image of a deceased individual in an outdated document in such a manner was disrespectful.
He remarked, “The document being circulated is not the official updated version from the party. The list has been revised. You can verify this by visiting our official platforms and accounts.
“It was not surprising to see Ubah on the initial list as he was an active party member. However, troublemakers choose to cling onto outdated information, especially in today’s era of social media mischief, to mock and show disrespect, which is both absurd and disrespectful.”
Investigations by our correspondent uncovered a disparity between the contentious document circulating online and the genuine one released by the APC’s official channels three weeks prior.
While the viral list prominently featured ‘Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’ in the 23rd position on the finance committee under Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s chairmanship, the version posted on the official site listed ‘Senator Sani Musa.’