I am Entitled to Participate in Party Activities – Keyamo

The state minister for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo, has claimed that by agreeing to serve as the spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign committee, he is not breaking any laws.

Following his appointment as the APC presidential campaign spokesman, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) had asked Keyamo to resign his ministerial position.

However, the minister said in a statement that opposition parties are funding the civil society organisation (CSO).

Additionally, the minister claimed that refusing to support his position as the party spokesperson violated his fundamental right to freedom of association.

“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,” he said.

“Therefore, the so-called position of these people is 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.

“Without meaning to demean them, these are people fully aligned to opposition parties but disguising as CSOs.

“We know them. I cannot recall a single statement like this from these people throughout the PDP era when PDP ministers were fully involved in presidential campaign activities.

“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 are deducted monthly from my meagre salary and sent to the party.

“Being a director in a campaign council is like every other party activity. They want to deny me my fundamental human right to freedom of association because I am a minister.

“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 for media interviews is not a ministry car. Since I became a minister, the ministry has not provided a single vehicle for my personal use. I have been sacrificing for the nation with my 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 during 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.”