Despite denial of Buni’s removal,  Niger gov answers ‘Mr. Chairman’ title at APC secretariat

Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, has already started answering “Mr. Chairman” title despite the earlier denial by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that Governor Mai Mala Buni had been removed as its caretaker chairman.

A video currently in circulation on social media showed the moment Governor Bello arrived at the APC national secretariat on Monday, to chair a meeting of the party’s Caretaker and Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

The video showed some party supporters addressing the governor as “my chairman” and “brand new chairman” as he alighted from a black SUV that conveyed him to the APC secretariat.

Earlier, the National Secretary of the party’s caretaker committee, John James Akpanudoedehe, had described reports of Buni’s removal as “fake news”.

In a statement titled “FAKE NEWS: No Leadership Change in APC CECPC”, Akpanudoedehe had claimed that the “imaginary leadership change in the APC- CECPC” was sponsored to give an impression that the party was having a leadership crisis.

“The APC is a progressive political party guided by rules. Leadership changes are not announced by ‘sources’ through name dropping in the media.

“We urge our teeming supporters, members and indeed the general public to remain calm and support the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC CECPC conduct a rancour-free and credible National Convention deserving of our great party,” Akpanudoedehe had said.