By Abolaji Ayodeji
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo has said that no law prevents him from serving as an All Progressive Congress (APC) campaign spokesman.
Keyamo said this following his apointment as APC campaign spokesman.
The Transition Monitoring Group had called for him to resign his position as a minister.
Reacting to the call, the minister said, “What does the law say? Section 84 of the Electoral Act clearly states that political appointees are to resign if they are to contest for any party position or any public office. No mention was made of ad hoc appointments for party activities. So, strictly speaking, no law is being violated here.”
“Therefore, the so-called position of these people are untenable, ill-informed and consequently rejected. They are jittery about the stout defence of our party and government we are putting up and the unblemished projection of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (our candidate) that we are making.
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He added that the Group are from the opposition parties but disguising as CSOs and he cannot recall a statement like this when ministers were involved in presidential campaign activities throughout PDP era.
“For instance, in 2015, my brother, special duties minister, Kabiru Turaki, served as the deputy director-general (North) of the PDP/Jonathan campaign council. These characters kept mum. So, you can be sure that this is PDP speaking through one of their NGOs.
“I am a full member of my party, the APC, and I am entitled to participate in party activities. My dues to my party is deducted every month from my meagre salary and sent to the party.
He also said that the group wants to deny his right to freedom of association because of his ministerial position and “being a director in a campaign council is like every other party activity.”
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“There is no conflict of interests. I fail to see any. Am I using public resources to campaign? Not at all. We have an APC campaign office and I have my well-furnished private chambers, better equipped than my minister’s office.
“Even the car I use to media interviews is not a ministry car. Since I became a minister, the ministry has not provided a single car for my personal use. I have been sacrificing for the nation with my personal cars and resources.
“This is now on record and my permanent secretary can attest to this. I grant interviews after my day’s work or at weekends or at break time.
“Campaign directors are volunteers; at least I am. We are not paid a single salary or allowance for our work, so the allegation of double privilege (whatever that means) is incorrect,” He said.
