APC’s consensus chairmanship aspirant finally revealed as Buhari, governors reach agreement

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors have aligned with President Muhammadu Buhari on the candidature of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as the chairman of the ruling party.

Recall that President Buhari had allegedly endorsed Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa state, when he met with governors in February.

The endorsement raised dust in the All Progressives Congress as some stakeholders were said to be uncomfortable with the president’s choice.

However, National Daily reported that the issue was resolved at the end of the governor’s latest meeting with the president on Wednesday, March 23, at the State House, Abuja .

The reports added that a governor from the northwest said that there was no objection when the endorsement of Adamu was raised. He said the issue of the national secretary was also resolved.

A top source, while corroborating the governor’s statement, said during the villa meeting, the governors aligned themselves with President Buhari’s position on Senator Adamu.

“They aligned with the president’s position on Adamu as the national chairman while all other positions are as per the zoning earlier approved by the president,” the source said.

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The source revealed that a former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, was picked by consensus as the Deputy National Chairman (South).

The report added that Abubakar Kyari is the consensus candidate for Deputy National Chairman (North).

The meeting convened ahead of the March 26 convention of the APC was attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and 16 out of the 22 governors of the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has said he was directed by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to run for the position of the national chairman of the party.

The Nasarawa state former governor made this known while meeting with the APC caucus in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

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Adamu, who represents Nasarawa West in the Senate, was the state governor from 1999 to 2007.

In 2010, Adamu was charged to court alongside others for embezzlement of funds estimated at N15billion. The status of the court case is unclear, but the Senator, in 2016, claimed that the case had been struck out.

In the 8th Assembly, he was removed as the leader of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) over allegations of embezzlement of funds.

Speaking on Tuesday, Senator Adamu said he was the last person to declare to run for the seat because he had to wait to be called by some ‘stakeholders’ in the party.

He noted that a leader should not put himself up for a position unless called.

Adamu, who recently chaired the APC reconciliation committee, said the role has helped him to see the issues befalling the party.

The former governor said he is eminently qualified to be the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmaker who spoke through one of his aides,Ambassador Samuel Jimba, said the claim by the “so-called” APC national stakeholders led by Aliyu Audu that he was not qualified to chair the affairs of the ruling party was laughable.

He said, “Who are the national stakeholders’ group? I don’t see any identity that qualifies them to become national stakeholders as opposed to other persons who have significantly contributed to the party and who qualify as party icons, party leaders and party stakeholders.

“I don’t know whether any of them have contributed the much that those people they are accusing; Sen. Abdullahi Adamu and Sen. Ken Nnamani have contributed to the development of this country and to the development of the APC.

“So, as far as I am concerned they do not carry sufficient weight to deserve any attention at the national level and they should not cause unnecessary distractions for what the APC is set to do, which is to hold a convention that becomes a classic example of how every political party should hold a convention, come March 26 this year.

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“But, when you come and say you don’t want somebody and then you don’t provide an alternative, I think you do not deserve to get any attention at all and so as far as Iam concerned they should be ignored.

“They do not have any sufficient weight to be able to talk nationally on issues of the APC and the national convention and the national chairman.”

In another development, Former Governor of Borno State and National Chairmanship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, Ali-Modu Sheriff, Wednesday in Abuja, said he will throw his support behind any consensus candidate that emerges from the deliberations between the party and the President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former governor also said he is not aware of any candidate anointed by the president.

The APC Chieftain said when he briefed Correspondents in a press conference to address the controversies around the consensus candidacy.

He affirmed that he is still in the race for the National Chairmanship because of his “strength of character, capacity and competence” said his intentions are clear and for public good rather than self-interest.

Alimodu Sheriff promised to stick to the decision of the party as determined by the President.

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He said: “As a loyal party member, I will abide by the decisions of Mr. President at any time he makes an official decision on zoning or endorsement of any particular candidate. I have unequivocal confidence in Mr.President’s capacity to make the right choice for the growth of our party.

“I am totally committed to work with anyone/everyone to reposition our party towards actualizing a resounding victory in the 2023 general elections and beyond,”

He said his guiding principle would be the Party’s Constitution and Manifesto, and he will be committed to it.