•Kyari takes over in acting capacity
•PDP chief, Chidoka, suggests southeasterner as chairman
Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The National Working Committee (NWC) of All Progressives Congress (APC) has again postponed its national caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings following the removal of the party’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
To fill the vacancies in the interim, APC Deputy National Chairman, North, Abubakar Kyari, took over the running of the NWC pending the election of a substantive national chairman, while Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuantar, replaced Omisore.
But former Minister of Aviation and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, Osita Chidoka, called on the ruling party to take action to ensure new executives of the party had serious implications for national unity and well-being by zoning the chairmanship to the South-east.
The APC leadership had postponed the caucus and NEC meetings, initially scheduled to hold on the 10th and 11th of July, respectively, to allow President Bola Tinubu to participate. But the meetings, which were rescheduled to 18th and 19th of July, respectively, were again postponed following yesterday’s resignation of Adamu and Omisore.
THISDAY had yesterday reported the resignation of both Adamu and Omisore based on the president’s directive to governors to get rid of Adamu. He was alleged to be working at cross purposes with the Tinubu government.
The governors immediately swung into action by sending emissaries to Adamu urging him to resign. Adamu saw the handwriting on the wall and immediately threw in the towel on Sunday ahead of Monday’s meeting of the NWC he had called last week.
Members of the NWC arrived early enough for the meetings where the combined fate of Adamu and Omisore was sealed.
Surprisingly, Omisore arrived the party’s secretariat at 11:20am, but he didn’t stay for long before leaving the secretariat for Adamu’s house.
Omisore, who declined to speak with journalists, was said to have gone to Adamu’s house to know why he was not at the party’s secretariat.
However, a party source revealed that Omisore came to the secretariat to drop his resignation letter.
NWC members who attended Monday’s meeting included Kyari; Deputy National Chairman (South), Emma Eneukwu; National Vice Chairman (North-west), Salihu Lukman; National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Arugungu; Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Duru; National Vice Chairman (North-east), Salihu Mustapha; National Vice Chairman (North-central), Muazu Bawa; National Vice Chairman (South-west), Issacs Kekemeke; National Vice Chairman (South-east), Ejoroma Arodiogu; Fuanter.
Addressing journalists at the end of the NWC meeting held at the party’s secretariat, Kyari announced that both Adamu and Omisore had resigned their positions.
Adamu was appointed national chairman of the party in March 2022 after he was anointed for the position by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Kyari stated, “As members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), we are here to address you to the happenings and recent developments regarding the party.
“The NWC wishes to inform you of the resignation of the national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and that of the national secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
“And with this development, and according to the constitution of the All Progressives Congress (APC), it is now incumbent on my humble self, Senator Abubakar Kyari, as a Deputy National Chairman, North, to assume the office of the acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“And subsequently, also, the Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuantar, will now assume the office of the acting National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“And with this recent developments in the change of leadership, I will like to inform everybody here that the proposed National Caucus meeting slated for Tuesday, the 18th of July 2023, and the National Executive Committee meetings of the All Progressives Congress (APC) slated for Wednesday, 19th of July 2023 are hereby been postponed. And this postponement will not be indefinite but a new date will be communicated in the near future.”
Asked if the duo resigned based on the allegations of corruption against them, Kyari maintained that the reasons for their resignation would be made known in future.
He said, “At this point, the individuals have resigned voluntarily and that is what is available at this moment. Reasons for resignations will be made (available) to you in the near future.”
Kyari assured that the NWC under his leadership would be guided by the APC constitution.
Chidoka: Time to Prioritise National Unity
Following yesterday’s resignation of Adamu and Omisore, former aviation minister, Osita Chidoka, called on APC to pay attention to national unity in the choice of the ruling party’s new national executives, suggesting the selection of someone from the South-east as the new national chairman.
In a statement, Chidoka, a PDP chieftain, said APC currently had its six top positions zoned as follows: President, South-west; Vice President, North-east; Senate President, South-south; Speaker, House of Representatives, North-west; and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, North-central.
He also said as discussions commenced on ministerial nominees, board appointments, and policy directions of the government, the six offices would make important inputs to the process and progress of the government.
Chidoka stated, “As a Nigerian, patriot, student of our national history, and proponent of intentional national rebirth, I recommend that the APC zones the national chairmanship to the South-east, to ensure inclusive representation.
“Some will say the South-east did not vote for the party and President Tinubu, my answer will be that the South-west did not vote for NPN, when Chief Akinloye was the powerful Chairman of NPN.
“Also, the South-west did not vote for PDP, when President Obasanjo was nominated and elected President of Nigeria. Our national unity can only be built on deliberate inclusive policies.
“The resignation of the APC Chairman presents an opportunity for the party to reaffirm its national credentials and depart from its inglorious past of naked nepotism and gross insensitivity to our national consensus by zoning the position of national chairman to the South-east.
“Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the time to rise above petty politics and renew the idea of Nigeria is now. A South-east National Chairman for the APC would be a step in the right direction.”
