Chairmen of the state chapters of the All Progressives Congress have thrown their weight behind a former governor of Nasarawa State, Adamu Abdullahi, to become the national chairman of the party.
According to reports, their decision followed the insistence of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) that Abdullahi should lead the APC.
Buhari, it was learnt, had at a meeting attended by the Progressives Governors Forum in Aso Rock, Abuja rejected a zoning arrangement proposed by some of the governors and did not hide his preference for the former governor.
This was despite strong resistance from some stakeholders of the APC who warned against an attempt to impose Abdullahi and a former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, as the party’s national chairman and deputy national chairman, respectively.
Those opposed to the idea described the duo as former staunch members of the Peoples Democratic Party who should not be chosen ahead of loyal and consistent APC members who were qualified to occupy the coveted offices.
Others eyeing the chairmanship seat of the APC at the party’s national convention expected to hold on March 26 are a former governor of Zamafara State, Abdulaziz Yari; a former governor of Nassarwa State, Tanko Al-Makura; a two-term governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume; and a former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sherif.
Findings also showed the state chapters would work towards the emergence of Abdullahi as the next national chairman of the party.
In Zamfara State, the party said the state would support whoever was nominated by the President as the consensus candidate for the chairmanship position.
The APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, said, “We will support anybody who is nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari or our great party, the APC, as a consensus candidate. We and our governor, Bello Matawalle, are law-abiding members of the party. As such, we are ready to go with whatever decision or directive given to us by the national headquarters of our party or President Buhari.”
Also, the Rivers State chapter of the party said it would stand behind the Buhari’s choice.
Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Chris Fynebone, who stated this during an interview with one of our correspondents on Friday, said the President had the interest of the majority of the party members at heart.
“Indeed, we have also heard that the president had endorsed Adamu Abdullahi for the position of national chairman. For us in APC Rivers State, we are open to whatever decision the President takes.
“So, if it happens to be true, we have no choice but to go with him. We believe that we can refer to him (the President) as the leader of the party who has the best interest of the party at heart,” Fynebone added.
Similarly, the Ekiti State chapter of the APC said it would also follow the decision of the party at the national level.
Its spokesperson, Segun Dipe, said, “We have the National Caretaker Committee led by Governor Mai Mala Buni, which will work with the leaders at the national level to decide on what is appropriate for the party for the convention.”
Asked whether the party in the state would support Abdullahi as the consensus candidate, Dipe said, “We will subscribe to the superior authority of those at the helm of affairs. It is not whether we subscribe to anything right now; we will rather say we believe in the party and where the party is going. We believe in the wisdom of the leaders to come out with the best for the party.”
In Edo State, the party said it would respect the decision of the national caretaker committee on the format the convention would take.
Deputy Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Victor Osehobo, said, “For us in APC, we will abide by the decision of the caretaker committee. Whatever template that is presented is what we will follow across the country including the Edo Chapter of the APC. Whether it is consensus or election, the picture will become clearer when we get to convention ground. We will have to wait till the day of the convention to know the next line of action.”
Similarly, the party in Osun State said it would not go against the choice of the leader of the party.
APC state chairman, Prince Gboyega Famoodun, who spoke through his media aide, Kola Olabisi, said, “APC has a hierarchy. Whatever people saddled with the responsibility to determine the person that will paddle the canoe of the party decide, there is no way state chapters, Osun State inclusive, can go against it. The bidding of the party at the federal level is what we will abide by on this issue.”
His Ondo State counterpart, Mr Ade Adetimehin, said his state would align with the position of the President on the matter.
Adetimehin said, “I, as a chairman of the APC in Ondo State, go with the position of the national leadership of the party. In the constitution of our party, there is room for consensus, a direct or indirect way of electing our leaders. Out of the three options, anyone the national leadership chooses, I’ll concur.”
However, the Chairman of the party in Kwara State, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, said the choice of Senator Abdullahi as the consensus candidate for the national chairmanship of the party was still a rumour.
“The purported choice of Senator Adamu Abdullahi by President Buhari as the next national chairman of APC is still a rumour. The President has not told anyone about his choice. This is the time for politics. If a candidate could not emerge as a consensus candidate and if the leaders could not agree on a single candidate, the best option is that the party will go for election.”
In Nasarawa State, which is the home state of Abdullahi, the party said it would support any of the aspirants chosen by the President.
The Chairman of the APC in the state, John Mamman, said, “There is a hierarchy of leadership in the party. The leadership of the party in Nasarawa State endorsed Umaru Tanko Al-makura for the national chairmanship position but the endorsement is one exercise while getting it through at Abuja is another exercise.
“Apart from Nasarawa State, we still have 35 others states and the Federal Capital Territory to decide on the issue. So, if President Buhari gives a direction on the matter, we would have to follow him because he is our leader.”
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