Breaking: Niger Gov Bello Arrives APC Secretariat, Meets Caretaker Committee Members

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Governor of Niger state, Abubakar Bello has arrived the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and already meeting with the members of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party

The  meeting has nine out of the twelve members of the Caretaker Committee of the party in attendance.

The secretary of the party, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, who had earlier denied a leadership change in the party is also at the meeting.

THISDAY had exclusively reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the removal of the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party and in his stead, appointed his Niger State counterpart, Abubakar Sani Bello.

A faction of the APC governors was said to have complained bitterly to the president that Buni was not inclined to hold the convention as rescheduled, because there were no preparations on the ground to indicate so.

Bello has taken over the affairs of the party as the ‘sole administrator’ of the party, it was gathered.

THISDAY had earlier reported that there was palpable tension at the headquarters of the APC as personnel of the Nigeria Police Force had taken over the Secretariat of the party.

The police numbering about 70 came in 10 vehicles and condoned off the secretariat of the party at  Blantyre street to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

The police cordoned off the secretariat as early as 8am on Monday.

Akpanudoedehe in a statement issued on Monday had described the  media report about leadership change as fake news and should be disregarded.

He said:  “Our attention has been drawn to sponsored media reports on an imaginary leadership change in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC). 

“The APC is a progressive political party guided by rules. Leadership changes are not announced by ‘sources’ through name dropping in the media. 

“We urge our teeming supporters, members and indeed the general public to remain calm and support the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC CECPC to conduct a rancour-free and credible National Convention deserving of our great party.”

Watch video of Gov Bello on arrival at the APC Secretariat Abuja