…Chieftain demands chairman’s sack
The crisis rocking the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken another dimension as three members of the leadership have distanced themselves from comment credited to the national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, over the selection of principal officers in the 10th National Assembly.
Recall that in a letter read in plenary Tuesday by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, named Senators Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) as Majority Leader, Ali Ndume (Borno South) as Chief Whip, David Umahi (Ebonyi South) as Deputy Leader and Lola Ashiru (Kwara Central) as Deputy Whip.
Reacting to the development during an interactive meeting with the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) at the party’s national secretariat, the APC national chairman had said his leadership was not aware of the announcement made in the National Assembly by the Senate President and the Speaker.
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Adamu said: “I am just hearing as a rumour now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives. The national headquarters of the party, the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of officers.
“And until we formally resolve and communicate with them in writing which is the norm and practice, it is not our intention to break away from traditions. So whatever announcement is done is not from this secretariat,” Adamu said
However, speaking with a select journalists, Wednesday in Abuja, the three members of the NWC, who pleaded anonymity, dissociated the NWC and APC Governors from the statement made by Senator Adamu to the effect that the APC has not endorsed the election of Majority Leaders, Deputy Majority Leaders, Chief Whips and Deputy Chief Whips for the two chambers disclaiming new leaders.
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The three NWC members said: “During the meeting many Governors who spoke on the issue cautioned the Chairman and urged him to reach out to the leadership of the National Assembly and resolve the matter amicably. It was unanimously believed at the meeting that the emergence of leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly is with the blessing of the President.”
The three APC national officers expressed worry that “it would appear that the National Chairman has made up his mind not to work harmoniously with President Asiwaju as he repeatedly keeps disputing decisions he has made towards constituting his government.
“We, therefore, distance ourselves and the NWC from such actions that clearly undermine the smooth take off of the APC federal government under the leadership of President Asiwaju and call on the National Chairman to desist from such action.”
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Meanwhile, an ex-member of the Board of Trustees of the party, Dr. Garus Gololo, has called for the sack of National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu for anti-party activities.
Gololo threatened that he would be “approaching a court of competent jurisdiction to press the demand further for the removal of the APC National Chairman”, whom he has alleged has become a distraction to Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as the entire party.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, Gololo explained that his call was in reaction to Adamu’s disposition towards the outcome of the selection of National Assembly principal officers on Tuesday.
He questioned reasons why the National Chairman of the party should kick against every consensus decision of the party stakeholders just to have his way.