Senator Abdullahi Adamu was late Saturday night ratified as the new national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) After days of negotiations and disagreements.
The ratification of Adamu and all the other members of the incoming National Working Committee and Zonal Leaders of the party was part of activities at the convention of the party, which commenced on Saturday and ended in the early hours of Sunday at the Eagles Square, Abuja.
Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State, who had emerged as a consensus candidate, was not among those who initially expressed interest in the chairmanship position. However, he was later reportedly drafted into the race by the Presidency and some governors.
The persuasion and insistence by the President for Adamu’s emergence forced other aspirants for the national chairmanship position to grudgingly step down on Saturday.
Meanwhile, facts emerged on Saturday night on how leaders of the party across the country arrived at the consensus candidates for the various party positions.
The candidates, who made the Unity List compiled by the party leaders and various stakeholders, were ratified at the convention.
The consensus candidates, who were assured of the support of the party leadership, would form the National Working Committee of the APC for the next four years.
One of the main tasks awaiting the new NWC is to plan and oversee the party’s primaries ahead of the 2023 general elections.
However, underground horse-trading, negotiations and assurances from different camps were said to have delayed the commencement of the convention slated for 1 pm, as different camps were said to have kicked against the emergence of some of the aspirants as consensus candidates.
The Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, arrived at the event at 7:59 pm; the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan at exactly 7.06 pm, while the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, arrived at 7.03 pm.
Confronted by the delegates’ restiveness over the delay, Gbajabiamila said it was better to start late and get things right.
However, the event did not commence until around 8:23 pm when the President arrived at the convention ground. His late arrival was said to have been a result of prolonged discussions with relevant stakeholders on the sharing formula for the different offices.
Apart from Adamu, a former deputy governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, was named as the party’s national secretary.
The ratified executives are:
The South-West unity list for the convention was released on Saturday before the convention commenced. In the list, Omisore was nominated as the National Secretary.
It was gathered that Omisore, who was the deputy to a former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, was nominated because of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Omisore, whom Akande once described in unprintable words, was said to have been instrumental to APC’s victory in the last governorship election in Osun State.
A top source in the party said, “Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is not very comfortable with happenings in the party in the state due to the issues he has with his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola. The party needs Omisore again in this forthcoming election, so this position was a form of compensation and to secure his loyalty during the election.”
Full list of the 77 newly elected national officers:
1. National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu: (Nasarawa State)
2. Deputy National Chairman (North): Sen. Abubakar Kyari (Boro State)
3. Deputy National Chairman (South): Chief Emma Eneukwu (Enugu State)
4. National Secretary: Otunba lyiola Omisore (Osun State)
5. Deputy National Secretary: Barr. Fetus Fuanter (Plateau State)
6. National Vice Chairman: (North Central): Muhazu Bawa Rijau (Niger State)
7. National Vice Chairman (North East): Mustapha Salihu (Adamawa State)
8. National Vice Chairman (North West): Salihu Lukman (Kaduna State)
9. National Vice Chairman (South East): Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu (Imo State)
10. National Vice Chairman (South South): Chief Hon. Victor Ton Giadom (Rivers State)
11. National Vice Chairman (South West): Dr Isaac Kekemeke (Ondo state)
12. National Legal Adviser: Barr. Ahmed El-Marzuk (Katsina State)
13. National Treasurer: Uguru Mathew Ofoke (Ebonyi State)
14. National Financial Secretary: Bashir Usman Gumel (Jigawa State)
15. National Organizing Secretary: Suleiman M Argungu (Kebbi State)
16. National Youth Leader: Dayo Abdullah Isreal (Lagos State)
17. National Welfare Secretary: Barrister F.N. Nwosu (Abia)
18: National Publicity Secretary: Barrister Felix Morka (Delta)
19. National Auditor: Senator Abubakar Malkafi (Bauchi)
20. National Women’s leader: Dr. Betta Edu (Cross River)
21: Special Persons With Disability(PWD) Leader: Tolu Bankole (ogun)
22.Deputy National Legal Adviser: Barrister Ibrahim Salawu (kwara)
23: Deputy National Treasurer: Omorede Osifo (Edo)
24: Deputy Financial Secretary : Hamma-Adama Ali Kumo (Gombe)
25:Deputy National Organising Secretary: Nze Chidi Duru (Anambra)
26: Deputy National Publicity Secretary: Yakubu Murtala Ajaka (Kogi)
27. Deputy National Welfare Secretary: Dr Christopher Akpan( Akwa Ibom)
28: Deputy National Auditor : Olufemi Egbedeyi (Oyo)
29: Deputy National Women’s Leader: Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim (Taraba)
30.Deputy National Youth leader: Jamaludden Kabir (Zamfara)
31. National Ex-officio (North Central): Oluwatoyin Opawuye (Kwara)
32. National Ex-officio (North East): Sirajo Dabuwa (Bauchi)
33: National Ex-officio (North West): Aliyu Ahmed Yako (Kano)
34: National Ex-officio (South East): Agunwa Anekwe( Anambra)
35. National Ex-officio (South South): Diriwari Akedewei (Bayelsa)
36. National Ex-officio ( South West): Mrs Bunmi Oriniowo (Ekiti)
37. Zonal Secretary (North Central): Yakubu Mohammed Adamu (FCT)
38. Zonal Secretary (North East): Mohammed Wali Shettima (Yobe)
39. Zonal Secretary (North West): Barr. Bello Goronyo (Sokoto)
40. Zonal Secretary (South west): Vincent Bewaji (Ekiti)
41. Zonal Secretary (South East): Azobi Innocent Itapi (Ebonyi)
42. Zonal Secretary (South South): Dr Ita Udosen (Akwa Ibom)
43. Zonal Legal Adviser (North East): Barr. Dauda Chapo (Taraba)
44. Zonal Legal Adviser (North Central): Barr. Hadiza Aliyu(Kogi)
45. Zonal Legal Adviser (North West):Barr.Dauda Usaini Dutse( Jigawa)
46. Zonal Legal Adviser (South West): Ismail Kolawole Majoro (Oyo)
47. Zonal Legal Adviser (South East): Barr. Mayor Ogbona Ernest(Ebonyi)
48. Zonal Legal Adviser (South South)
49. Zonal Organising Secretary(North East): Abubakar Adamu Musa( Taraba)
50. Zonal Organising Secretary (North west): Salisu Uba (Zamfara)
51. Zonal Organising Secretary (North Central): Ahmed Attah (Kogi)
52. Zonal Organising Secretary (South west): Lateef Ibirogba
53: Zonal Organising Secretary (South east): Dozie Ikadite (Anambra)
54. Zonal Organising Secretary (South South): Blessing Agboma (Edo)
55. Zonal Publicity Secretary (North east): Lamido Mohammed (Gombe)
56. Zonal Publicity Secretary (North Central): John Okobo(Benue)
57. Zonal Publicity Secretary (North west): Musa Makatiya (Zamfara)
58. Zonal Publicity Secretary (South east): Augustine Onyedebehi( Imo)
59. Zonal Publicity Secretary (South south)
60. Zonal Publicity Secretary (south west): Ayo Afolabi
61. Zonal Women’s leader (North Central): Oluwatoyin Opawuye (Kwara)
62. Zonal Women’s leader (North east): Zainab Abubakar Alman (Gombe)
63. Zonal Women’s leader (North west): Hajiya Hadiza Shagari( Sokoto)
64. Zonal Women’s leader (south west): Mrs Yetunde Adesanya (Ogun)
65. Zonal Women’s leader (south south): Caroline Owugha (Bayelsa)
66. Zonal Women’s leader (south east): Mimi Uchenna Diyokeh(Enugu)
67.ZonaL Youth leader (North Central): Zubairu Aliyu (Kwara)
68: ZonaL Youth leader (North west): Abdulhamid Umar Mohammed (Kano)
69.ZonaL Youth leader (North East): Jason Baba Kkwaghe (Adamawa)
70.ZonaL Youth leader (South East): Nkenna Anyalewechi (Abia)
71.ZonaL Youth leader (South West): Kolade Lawal (Ondo)
72. Zonal Youth Leader (South South): Comrade Ebimobowe (Delta)
73: Zonal leader of Person with Disability(North Central): Laho Lazarus Audu(Benue)
74. Zonal leader of Person with Disability(North east): Mohammed Baba Isa (Yobe)
75. Zonal leader of Person with Disability(North west): Lawal Na Rago (Kano)
76. Zonal leader of Person with Disability(south south): Chief Edet Aziz( Cross River)
77. Zonal leader of Person with Disability(south east: Dr Nwachukwu Stanley Chinedu (Imo)
