The tussle to fill vacant positions in the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) intensified as the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) – prepares to meet on Wednesday and Thursday.
Goldennewsng recalls that in the last few weeks, some APC leaders have resigned, leaving vacant slots to be filled.
The APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, resigned recently following some crisis within the party.
This platform recounts that the Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Abubakar Kyari, and Deputy Secretary, Festus Fuanter, took over in acting capacities pending the conduct of a mini-national convention
Last week, the National Vice Chairman (North West), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, also resigned.
However, in a twist of event, Kyari made the ministerial list presented to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu last Thursday.
Along with him, the party’s national women leader, Betta Edu, also made the ministerial list as one of the seven women selected in the first batch of 28 nominees.
It was gathered that the tussle for the vacant positions in the ruling party has commenced, as moves are being made to appoint an acting chairman who would replace Kyari and organise the convention for the election of substantive national chairman, secretary, women’s leader, and national vice chairman (North West).
While reports circulated that the President allegedly anointed the immediate former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the next APC national chairman, the party’s spokesperson, Felix Morka, while fielding questions on Channels TV Politics Today last week, said it was mere speculations.
But on Monday, before the Wednesday NEC meeting, banners and posters of Ganduje were said to have flooded the premises of the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
Meanwhile, party sources told Daily Trust that contenders for various positions are already springing up.
The former Senate President, Ameh Ebute, from Benue State (North Central), has declared intentions to contest for party national chairman.
In a statement a few days ago, Ebute said he was ready to sacrifice himself as he did alongside Tinubu during the heydays of the military.
Similarly, a source close to a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, confirmed that the ex-governor was consulting and would contest if the North Central was to retain the position.
Al-Makura had contested the office of APC national chairman at the 2022 national convention, but former President Muhammadu Buhari prevailed on him and other contenders to step down for Adamu.
The source said, “Yes, he is interested, but you know, he has to get the endorsement of the powers that be. So, he will contest if the North Central is given the opportunity to retain the position or Mr. President decides to favour him.
“But as it stands now, they want to settle Ganduje as the first governor in the North to solidly stand behind Tinubu. That is why they want to give him the chairmanship of the party. But there are issues.
“You see, Lukman has resigned, and many people are saying they will not work with Ganduje. Some expected that Al-Makura would be nominated minister. The first list came out, and his name is not there. So, whatever Mr. President decides will be final.”
For the position of national secretary, party sources confirmed that a former Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Bashiru, from Osun State, who is the sole contestant so far, has been anointed. Recall that Omisore also hails from Osun State.
Meanwhile, inside sources also told the platform that Ganduje could only act when Kyari finally assumed the office of minister and, if possible, contest at the convention to be retained as the substantive national chairman.
