Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Wedensday, disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari gave them a directive to remove Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni as the chairman of the caretaker committee of the APC.
El-Rufai, who disclosed this while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said governors elected on the party’s platform allowed things to degenerate in the party by taking the back seat.
According to him, no fewer than 19 governors of the party and one deputy governor unanimously agreed to carry out the directive of the president, saying the remaining three governors are the ones dishing out “fake news” that Buni has not been removed.
The governor added, “The president held a meeting with us (APC governors), and gave us a clear directive and responsibilities and went into his waiting chopper at the airport. The president in his wisdom knew that we have the capacity.
“It is just that some of us decided to take the back seat and allow things to even get to this point because we believe that once we were elected, we should focus on governance, and leave the party administration to those who are better at it.
“But clearly, it got to a point that something was going to go wrong. The party was being placed at great risk, and we had to do something.
“I’m happy that the caretaker committee headed by Abubakar Sani Bello has issued a notice for an emergency National Executive Committee meeting.
“The president will join us virtually. Of course, His Excellency, the vice president, all the governors and all the state chairmen of the party will converge on the party headquarters, and we will take certain decisions that will lay a very solid foundation for the convention taking place March 26.”
El-Rufai called on all party members to dismiss insinuations that Buni will re-take his position as chairman of the party when he returns from his trip, adding that the new CCEPC had to prune down the list of former convention sub-committees due to large members captured.
Daily Trust reports that Buni’s name was missing in a list of sub-committees for the APC national convention released yesterday by the party.
He has not been removed – Umahi
But Governor of Ebonyi State David Umahi, yesterday, said Buni has not been removed as the chairman of the caretaker committee.
He insisted that the governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, was only detailed by his counterpart in Yobe to hold brief while he left for medical leave aboard.
Umahi told APC supporters in Abakaliki: “The national chairman went on medical leave and we were there when he asked the governor of Niger State to act for him.
“If there will be any change, you will be notified. But for now there is none and there is no crack in the party,” he said.
Also yesterday, the party finally zoned its chairmanship slot to the North Central and national secretary to the South West.
The zoning formula was signed by the Director, Publicity, Salisu Na’inna ambatta.
Meanwhile, the acting chairman of the party and Niger State Governor Sani Bello has said the interim committee would deliver a hitch-free convention.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday at the end of their meeting at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, the governor also announced that the number of some sub-committees for the convention had been trimmed.
Senators to meet Buhari, others
Senators who are members of the APC, yesterday, held an emergency meeting for the second day running over the crisis rocking the party.
The lawmakers, after a closed-door meeting, said various issues facing the party were exhaustively deliberated upon with clear indication of peace ahead of the convention.
Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi) told newsmen that the caucus resolved to meet with President Buhari, governors’ forum, the party’s caretaker committee and aspirants with a view to making the party stronger and well-positioned to win local and national elections.
