42 APC Support Groups Complain of Marginalisation in Niger

Laleye Dipo in Minna

As the presidential  campaign train of the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate Senator Kashim Shettima storms Minna  today, their 42 supports groups have complained of marginalisation in the plan for the programme.

The support groups include the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Vanguard (BATV) the oldest of the organisations.

According to a very reliable source,  neither the state government nor the APC has informed the groups of planned visit and the role they are to play during the building up to and campaign proper.

It was also gathered that a member of the Presidential Campaign Committee who heads all the support groups is also not aware of the proposed rally.

According to the findings, no adequate preparation has been made for the rally by way of erection of large campaign bill boards, advertisement  and jingles on radio and television as well as the  general mobilisation of party supporters in the state ahead of the rally.

“It appears some people wants the rally to flop that is why they are showing nonchalant attitude to it” one of the leaders of the support groups said.

It was learnt that the support groups are, however, planning to make sure the candidate  Tinubu is aware of the plot by the government and the APC as a party in the state.

“We may carry placards and position ourselves well to ensure our message is delivered to Senator Tinubu when he arrives Minna”

According to sources, the cold shoulder being shown to the support groups is a follow-up to the bad treatment meted out to some of the party chieftains in Abuja when the PCC was inaugurated a few weeks back.

It was learnt that apart from refusing to accommodate and take care of the logistics of those that attended the event the APC in the state and the Niger State Government did not give them any recognition.

“We had to leave Abuja and got to Minna in the thick of the night because of no Accommodation” one of those that attended the inauguration said.

When contacted, an official in the office of the Special Adviser Political Matters to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello,   who preferred to remain anonymous said: “We are not aware of what you are talking about, go to the party secretariat.”

The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Miss Sarkin-Kaji, also denied that support groups are being marginalised but did not say what role has been assigned to them in the campaign.