The National Campaign Council set up by the All Progressive Congress (APC) to handle the party’s campaigns for the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State, suffered yet another setback on Friday as one of the members, and former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mr. Pally Iriase, declined his membership of the Council.
Iriase’s name had appeared as a member of the Campaign Council released on Wednesday by the APC National Secretariat, but the ex-federal lawmaker, in a statement he endorsed late Friday said he was not consulted before he was included in the team and that he had since announced his stepping aside from politics.
The statement reads: “My attention has been drawn to the fact that my name is included in the list of appointees into the National Campaign Council for the gubernatorial election in Edo State by the All Progressive Congress (APC).
“I appreciate the National Working Committee (NWC) for finding me worthy of the appointment.
“But, I hereby reject the appointment for the following reasons:
“I was never consulted.
“I have for several years stepped away from partisan politics and I do not intend to change my mind.
“I do not want my associates, friends, admirers, and family to see me as a hypocrite.
“While wishing them a successful campaign and a peaceful election, I strongly urge everyone to respect my desire to be excluded from partisan politics.”
It would be recalled that John Mayaki, another APC chieftain, who was named as a director in the Council, had three weeks ago rejected the appointment in addition to resigning his membership of the APC on the ground that the party’s standard-bearer in the election, Senator Monday Okpebholo, lacks the competence to govern the state.
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