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HomeNewsAPC Convention: Governors, Senators Split Over Chairman, Youth Leader

APC Convention: Governors, Senators Split Over Chairman, Youth Leader

Five days to the All Progressives Congress (APC), governors and other key power brokers in the party are at war over who to back for the post of national chairman and national youth leader.

Many of the 23 governors elected on the platform of the party are reportedly resolute on their opposition to the aspiration of a former governor from Nasarawa State.

A couple of the state chief executives are also said to be against the bid by another governor for the position because of perceived closeness to a presidential aspirant of the party.

However, a preponderance of the governors is said to favour the ambition of a serving senator from the North-Central for the position of national chairman.

The race for the post of national youth leader is equally generating ripples among the governors and other party stakeholders.

One of the governors from the South-West is being accused of attempting to impose a close ally holding a strategic position in an agency belonging to the state government.

The contestants for the post of national youth leader include Ibrahim Alli-Balogun, Segun Dada and Rinshola Abiola, the daughter of the late Chief MKO Abiola.

Senators divided over Adamu, Musa, Al-Makura for party chairman

The election of national chairman of the APC to be won and lost on Saturday is also already causing ripples at the National Assembly, Nigerian Tribune gathered.

Investigation revealed that three of the federal lawmakers in the Red Chamber are making frantic efforts to secure the blessings of their colleagues.

Three of the aspirants from the North Central, the geo-political zone where the APC zoned its national chairman, are members of the Ninth National Assembly.

The list includes Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa; former Nasarawa state governor and sena- tor representing Nasarawa West, Abdullahi Adamu and another former governor of Nasarawa and senator representing Nasarawa South, Tanko Al-Makura.

Investigation revealed that majority of the lawmakers once gave open endorsement to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Productivity, Senator Abdullahi Adamu believed to be the anointed candidate of President Muhammadu Buhari. Before Adamu’s sudden entry into the race, the lawmakers were divided between Senator Musa and Al-Makura.

One of the senators, who spoke with Nigerian Tribune in confidence, said the lawmakers were influenced to review their position on the aspirant to adopt based on feelers that some governors in the APC had paid private visits to Adamu. “No one wants to be left behind since the governors are already seen to be openly fraternising with him,“ he said.

Last Friday, some lawmakers visited the Area 11 Garki, Abuja campaign office of Adamu. Those who paid solidarity visits to him when he unveiled his campaign office included, deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi; Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu; former governor of Kebbi State and Senator representing Kebbi Central, Adamu Aliero and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume among others.

Senator representing Borno South and Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Ndume confirmed his support for Adamu pointing to the latter’s competence and blunt attitude to social and political issues.

Ndume said: “I am supporting Abdullahi Adamu because he is the most qualified and courageous among other aspirants.

“Adamu is somebody who cannot be influenced with money. He is not afraid to say anything in favour of whatever he believes in.”

Senators Musa and Al-Makura have however vowed to continue to pursue their aspiration as they noted that no one had endorsed Senator Adamu for the office.

Speaking with journalists at the weekend in separate interviews, they submitted that the party would not have requested for payment of N20million each for nomination forms if the stakeholders and presidency had settled for an anointed choice.

Musa visits Goje, says it is time to restructure APC

In continuation of his meeting with stakeholders ahead of the convention, a chairmanship and Senator representing Niger-East, Sani Musa, at the weekend, met with a former Gombe State governor and senator representing Gombe, promising to unite all aggrieved persons, provide a level-playing field for all and enshrine the principles of internal democracy in the party.

He also promised to carry out holistic restructuring of the ruling party.

Responding, Goje appealed to delegates to ensure that they voted for aspirants that are energetic and trustworthy.

He praised Musa’s efforts and commitment to his blueprint geared towards rebuilding the party from bottom-up and ensure every member’s interest is accommodated as enshrined in APC Constitution.

North-East APC youths endorse Rinshola Abiola as national youth leader

Meanwhile, the coalition of APC North-East Youths Vanguard has endorsed Rinshola Abiola for the position of national youth leader.

The convener of the coalition, Comrade Abdullahi Ibrahim, said on Sunday at the APC state secretariat in Bauchi that the endorsement of Abiola is based on her wealth of experience and outstanding sacrifices to the ruling party.

Modu Sheriff withdraws from chairmanship race

In the meantime, a two-term Borno State governor and former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff formally dropped from the chairmanship race on Sunday. Speaking with journalists in his campaign office, he said his action was in deference to the party’s leadership and President Muhammadu Buhari.

The APC zoning committee led by Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazak, in its recommendations, zoned the office of national chairman to the North-Central. Modu Sheriff is from Borno in the North East.

Announcing his withdrawal from the race, he said he would only review his position if the APC Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee throws open the race to all northern states. He maintained that the zoning to the North-Central had technically foreclosed him from the race.

Credit: TRIBUNE.

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