Those who have been attacking Nollywood actors who had earlier identified with the All Progressives Congress’ presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, may have cause to change their minds or worry more.
Reason is that 33 more popular actors have been unfolded as part of the train.
The likes of Zack Orji, Jide Kosoko and Foluke Daramola had received mixed reactions, but Joke Silva, Mercy Johnson and others may have declared for Tinubu.
They are among the stars whose names are on the women team of the campaign, led by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Hajiya Nana, wife of vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
Others include Fausat Balogun, Remi Oshodi, Rose Odika, Sola Kosoko, Lanre Hassan (Iya Awero) Hajiya Nas, Lizzy Jay (Omo Ibadan), Princess Kalihat Bello among others.
The artistes have, however, not commented on the list, with a call attempted on Johnson’s phone not going through as at the 4:30pm on Saturday of producing this story.
The campaign list, which contained names of 944 high-profile women and wives of prominent APC politicians, was released in the wee hours of Saturday by the campaign media admin, Rinsola Abiola, who is also the daughter of late Chief MKO Abiola.
In the list tagged ‘Tinubu-Shettima Women Presidential Campaign Team,’ Aisha was appointed as Grand Patron, Tinubu, a three-term senator emerged as Chairman; Nana was made Co-Chairman while Lauretta Onochie, Personal Assistant on Social Media to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), also made the campaign train as Deputy National Coordinator.
In the category of zonal leaders, Dr Zainab Baugudu, wife of Kebbi State governor will coordinate the NorthWest; wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo–Olu leads South West; First Lady of Borno State, Falmata Zulum will be in charge of the North East.
In a similar vein, Olufolake Abdulrazaq, the first lady of Kwara State, will coordinate efforts in the North-Central and Mrs. Sanwoolu, wife of the Lagos State governor, will superintend over the South-West.
While Imo State First Lady, Chioma Ikeaka-Uzodinma will organise South-East campaign; her counterpart in Cross River, Linda Ayade, will oversee activities in the South-South.
The statement partly read, “The Tinubu/Shettima 2023 Women Presidential Campaign Team is pleased to announce the release of the composition of its various committees for the 2023 presidential campaign.
“While we congratulate the appointees, they are advised to collect their letters of appointment at the Tinubu/Shettima Women Presidential Campaign Office at No 2 Kainji Crescent, off Lake Chad Crescent, Maitama, Abuja on 3rd October 2022 by 10am.”
The statement further indicated that wives of APC Governors will serve as coordinators in their respective states while high-profile party women leaders will head campaign activities in non-APC-controlled States.
The development is coming on the heels of the unveiling of the contentious APC Presidential Campaign Council list.
Tinubu had last Friday unveiled a 422-man committee comprising political heavyweights and other notable members to pilot the various sub-committees of the campaign council.
The list of members released by Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council, James Faleke, in Abuja, followed a series of postponements and conjectures about those who would be saddled with the task of leading the ruling party’s bid to retain power at the federal level.
The campaign council chaired by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Adamu, as co-deputy chairman.
