Fayemi rejects consensus arrangement, says Buhari’s candidates will slug it out at APC Convention

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has said he is not aware that President Muhammadu Buhari endorsed some candidates for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Convention.

There has been crisis in the ruling party over the endorsement of some persons for National Working Committee (NWC) positions of the APC.

• APC Convention: Unity list should be ready by Saturday – Lawan
• APC chairmanship: Governors bow to Buhari, agree on Adamu

Daily Trust had reported how President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as National Chairman created rift in the party.

But as parts of move to settle this, Buhari met with governors at Aso Rock on Wednesday after which a final agreement was reportedly reached on consensus.

A governor from the North West told Daily Trust that there was no objection when the endorsement of Adamu was raised. He said the issue of the national secretary was also resolved.

A top source, while corroborating the governor’s statement, said during the villa meeting, the governors aligned themselves with President Buhari’s position on Adamu.

“They aligned with the president’s position on Adamu as the national chairman while all other positions are as per the zoning earlier approved by the president,” the source said.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said a truce has been reached to fill the NWC positions through consensus.

He said the PGF was in support of the chairmanship candidate being backed by President Buhari although he refused to name the candidate.

But speaking at a high-level policy dialogue organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), on Thursday, Fayemi said he was not aware of any agreement on consensus.

He said while it is within the rights of Buhari to have preferred candidates, he was not aware of that.

Fayemi said this while responding to one of the questions asked during the interactive session.

“As for your question on whether the President (Muhammadu Buhari) has anointed anyone, I have no knowledge of that. But the President is well within his rights to have a prefer candidate… if his candidate wins, fine; if his candidate loses, fine,” Fayemi said.

Asked to clarify his thoughts on the convention during a brief chat with journalists after the programme, Fayemi simply said, “You heard what I said.”

Yinka Oyebode, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, later issued a statement to deny what Fayemi said, though it was recorded.