Why Buhari Settled for Adamu as Consensus Candidate for APC Chair

*Al-Makura, Mustapha, Dafe kick; say it’s media game
*Stakeholders insist on open contest for chairmanship
*Ruling party appoints zonal congress committees

Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

Reports that President Muhammadu Buhari might have settled for a former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, as his consensus candidate for the office of the national chairman, is true.

But more details have also emerged on why the president settled for Adamu, despite the fact that he has seemingly unending cases with the nation’s number one anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Nonetheless, three other aspirants to the same office, namely, Tanko Al makura, Saliu Mustapha and Sunny Moni Dafe, had immediately rejected the “purported” adoption of Adamu by the president.

In addition to the disavowal by other contestants, a group of concerned APC North-West stakeholders, has insisted that those aspiring to the exalted seat of APC chairmanship should be allowed to test their popularity and therefore, the contest should be thrown open.

This, notwithstanding, the leadership of the ruling party, has appointed committees for its forthcoming zonal congresses to be held on March 12, 2022.

Different sources confided in THISDAY yesterday that the inroads made by Senator Adamu in reconciling aggrieved members of the party that attracted him to Buhari as a likely choice for party’s chairmanship.

But some governors, especially, those from north central were said to have opposed the choice of Adamu, insisting that since the national chairman, has been zoned to the geo-political, they should be allowed to decide who picks the position.

Besides, the purported endorsement of Adamu has also not gone down well with other aspirants and governors, as they claimed that he was not among the aspirants, as his name only popped up last week before President Buhari travelled to Brussels, Germany.

Before his departure, the president was said to have asked for the names of all the aspirants and his name was added.

Governor Sule of Nasarawa State and his counterpart in Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdurazak, were said to have opposed the choice of Adamu, but backed Al-Makura.
Another governor from the zone, Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, THISDAY was told, also rejected the purported adoption of Adamu.

Mustapha, on his part, told THISDAY yesterday that against the media speculations, the President has not adopted Admau, describing it as “a media game.”

According to him, “My governor (Governor Abdulrazaq of Kwara) told me that the matter of who becomes the next national chairman of our party has not been discussed.”

Mustapha, who maintained that the matter was not discussed at the APC governors’ meeting with the president, told THISDAY that the president only approved the zoning of offices as presented to him by the APC-elected governors.

“At the meeting, no name was mentioned. It was only the approval of the zoning of offices that was presented and the president only approved the zoning and asked the governors to go about it diligently to ensure peace.

“The President Buhari that I know will not like to do things secretly. This is a media game by those concerned. I don’t know what they want to achieve.”

Another aspirant, Monidafe, questioned the aid adoption of Adamu, claiming that if it wastrue, why has the president not officially announced it?

Senator Al-Makura, in a statement by Segun Tomo, the Director, New Media, Al-Makura Campaign Organisation (ACO), also denied that Adamu has been adopted as the national chairman of APC.

“The attention of the Al-Makura Campaign Organisation (ACO) has been drawn to wide speculations and propaganda making the rounds in some news outlets that President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed the candidacy of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu as the next Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“While we would have ordinarily ignored the widespread rumours, we have been inundated with calls and apprehension of Sen. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura’s supporters across the country. Therefore, we decided to respond, and set the records straight.

“Information at our disposal indicate that what transpired at the meeting of the governors with the president was the ratification of the new convention date and agreement on the zoning formula.

“On the issue of who becomes chairman, the president asked that consultations continue to produce a credible and widely accepted choice as consensus candidate.

“One does not need a soothsayer to know that Al-Makura fits the bill. Across the length and breadth of the country, Sen. Al-Makura is seen as a bridge-builder, a leader imbued with a calm temperament, renowned with an impeccable mobilization skills and political sagacity that ensured he defeated the then entrenched Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State.”

Stakeholders Insist on Open Chairmanship Contest

Concerned APC North-West Stakeholders forum, has insisted that those aspiring for the chairmanship of the party should be allowed to test their popularity, openly.

National Convener of the group, Alhaji Sani Abubakar, in a statement argued that the call was necessitated by the purported move to impose Senator Abdullahi Adamu as chairman of the party.

The group expressed convern that some of the party’s governors from the North West geopolitical zone were already dropping the name of President Muhammadu Buhari purely to promote the candidacy of Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

The group cautioned some members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) to thread with caution so as not to destroy the APC, saying there would be consequences for any act that causes problems for the party.

“The stakeholders have become aware that members of the PGF from the north-west, who championed this errant position are acting out their own greed and personal agenda, which is that each of them is hopeful of emerging the running mate to an eventual APC presidential candidate from the south.

“It is most unfortunate that people, who currently (individually) hold the mandate for the wellbeing of millions of people as state governors are unable to subjugate their selfish interest for national interest, party loyalty and the long-term stability of Nigeria’s democracy.

“It is tragic how these individuals overheated the polity simply out of desperation to occupy a position that is not zoned to their areas. These persons from the north-west looking for the position of vice president that, going by our history as a nation, it is well known that the best the region could get after 2023 is the national chairmanship position of the party.

“All those pushing for a candidate from the north central to be made a consensus chairman of the party, which has earlier been zoned to the north west, are traitors and seem to only be interested in rubbishing Mr. President’s legacies in office by appending his name as mark of approval to their plans.”

APC Appoints Zonal Congress Committees

The All Progressives Congress (APC), has appointed committees for its forthcoming zonal congresses slated for March 12, 2022.
National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Sen. John Akpanudoedehe disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday I’m Abuja.

He said, “The chairmen of the committees are all members of the CECPC, while secretaries are selected from amongst the deputy governors from their respective geo-political zones.
“Meetings of zonal stakeholders hold on Saturday, 26 February, 2022 at the respective geo-political zones.” Akpanudoedehe disclosed.

For the North-Central zone, the Governor of Niger SState, Abubakar Bello was appointed chairman, while Prof. Sonni Tyoden will serve as the secretary.

The party appointed Senator Yusuf Yusuf as the chairman for the North-east Zone, while Mr. Manasseh Jatau, will serve as the secretary.
The APC appointed Mr. David Lyon as the chairman for the South-south, while Prof. Ivara Esu, will serve as the secretary.

Akpanudoedehe said Senator Abba Ali would serve as the committee chairman for the Northwest zone, while Hadiza Balarabe is the secretary.
Hon. Akinremi Olaide was appointed as the chairman for the South-west zone and Dr. Kadiri Hamzat is the secretary.