APC convention: Choice of national chair tears senators apart

The choice of national chairman of the All Progressives Con.gress (APC) has torn the party’s caucus in the Senate apart.  

Three APC senators, Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Sani Musa (Niger) and Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa), are vying for the party’s top seat.

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The party’s convention is slated for March 26 in Abuja, where the national chairman and other National Working Committee (NWC) members would be elected. 

Checks by Daily Trust revealed some senators are backing the candidacy of Abdullahi Adamu because of claims that he was endorsed by President Muhammadu Buhari. 

It was gathered that many of them have thrown their weight behind Adamu because of the belief that nobody would be able to influence whatever decision the president may want him to take ahead of the 2023 elections.

Some ranking APC senators, on Thursday, attended the launching of Adamu’s campaign office at Area 11, Garki, Abuja, where they spoke in support of his candidacy. 

They said he has the requisite experience and competence to lead the party.

The senators who attended the launching included Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege; Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi; Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu; Adamu Aliero and Ali Ndume among others. The Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Monguno, also attended.  

Ndume told newsmen after the event that he was backing Adamu because he is most experienced and courageous than other aspirants in the race. 

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 by money. He is not afraid to say anything in favour of whatever he believes in.”

Another senator, who spoke in confidence said, “The game plan is to make Abdullahi Adamu the chairman of the party and Farouk Aliyu, a former House of Representatives member from Jigawa State, the deputy.

“They are working with some people in the presidency to ensure the emergence of Rotimi Amaechi as the APC presidential candidate.

“Their plan is clearly against the wishes of the majority of party members who believe that a man with his own personal political structures should emerge as the candidate

“They have already met with the president and they claimed that the president had bought into their game plan.”