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APC Crisis: Adamu’s Greatest ‘Sin’ Was Trying To Impose Lawan As Presidential Candidate – V’Chair

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National Vice Chairman, Northwest, of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Salihu Moh. Lukman on Sunday said the level of impunity under the leadership of the erstwhile National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, reached its height when the former Nasarawa state governor sought to unilaterally impose a presidential candidate on the party.

He said apart from freezing statutory organs of the party, Adamu wanted foisting the then Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on the party but was swiftly cut to size by state governors and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who was then an aspirant.

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Lukman in a statement said it was however regrettable that the APC has continued to move from one leadership crisis to another, lamenting that today, the National Working Committee NWC has become a distant observer in the process of recruiting a new National Chairman.

He said; “After winning the campaign to get the Caretaker Committee organize a National Convention, which produced the current NWC led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, in no time the party was returned to the old mode of business as usual whereby statutory organs of the party were frozen. No meetings of party organs were taking place and the NWC became practically an observer whereby the National Chairman and National Secretary basically usurped the powers of all organs of the party.

READ ALSO: APC Crisis: Adamu Finally Breaks Silence Over ‘Controversial Resignation’

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“The height of it was when the National Chairman attempted to impose Senator Ahmad Lawan as the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the party. Progressive Governors and many members of the NWC had to rise to the occasion and check the excesses of the National Chairman, which produced President Bola Tinubu as the candidate of the party for 2023 elections. The rest, as is often said, is now history.

“However, we continue to move from one unhealthy situation to another during both the 2023 electioneering campaigns and the process of negotiations to produce leaders of the National Assembly after the elections. It was as if the party under the leadership of Senator Adamu was either contesting the authority of President Tinubu or at the least working at cross purposes”.

Agreed zoning formula favours North Central

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Lukman also reminded President Tinubu and the Progressives Governors Forum PGF that the agreed zoning formula in the party ceded the position of National Chairman to North Central.

According to Lukman, restoring constitutional order to APC would require some demonstration of commitment to give life to the statutory organs of the party so that the debate about replacing the National Chairman and all existing vacancies, including that of the National Secretary will be done within the structures of the party.

READ ALSO: NASS Principal Officers: Adamu Runs Into Stormy Waters, Maybe Be Removed

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Lukman was again reacting to reports that former Kano state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has been tipped to replace Senator Adamu as the next national chairman.

According the him, the inability to revive statutory organs of the party will suggest that the process of replacing existing vacancies will be manipulated to suite some narrow interests within the party even if it means violating provisions of the APC constitution.

“As NWC members, we must be seen to be active in the debate of the way forward. A situation whereby President Tinubu and Progressive Governors are being alleged to have decided on Dr Ganduje as the next National Chairman of APC without consulting other power blocs in the party and without meeting any of the organs of the party, including the NWC, is very risky and potentially damaging to President Tinubu and the party.

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“If this was associated with a President who comes from a military background, it would be understandable. But to be associated with President Tinubu whose background is outrightly civilian having led the struggle for democracy in Nigeria for almost four decades, it will be highly unimaginable.

“We must therefore appeal to all those sponsoring this campaign to nominate Dr Ganduje for the position of APC National Chairman, especially His Excellency, Hope Uzodinma, Chairman, Progressive Governors Forum to come to order and allow due process within the party to take its rightful course in the selection process of who becomes the next APC National Chairman.

READ ALSO: REVEALED: The N32bn ‘Final Straw’ That Led To The Ouster Of Adamu As APC Chair

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“Nobody, including the PGF, should be allowed to seek to entrench arbitrariness and injustice in the determination of who emerges as the next National Chairman of APC. We must remind everyone, including President Tinubu that so far, the agreed zoning formula in APC cedes the position of National Chairman of the party to North Central.

“Therefore, the relevant sections of APC constitution with respect to filling vacancies should be respected. Anything short of that will amount to illegality and will constitute an act of injustice against members of the party from North Central. A party envisioned to be progressive must not be associated with that especially if one of our objectives now is to return the APC to its founding vision of emerging as a progressive party.”

While calling on other NWC members to speak up, the APC chieftain said: “The vision of producing a progressive party cannot be produced with a reticent leadership. As NWC members, we need to appreciate that part of our responsibility is to ensure that all our elected representatives are guided to produce outcomes based on provisions of our manifesto and all our campaign promises. This is a function of the knowledge and skills of individual members.

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“We must challenge ourselves to rise to the occasion by demonstrating the required capacity and competence. A situation whereby we sit in our ‘comfort zones’ and expect our elected representatives to come calling and recognizing our powers to provide leadership to the party only suggests gaps in competence”, he added.

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PDP Zones 2027 Presidential Ticket To South

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The Peoples Democratic Party’s 102nd National Executive Committee meeting has resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while retaining the existing National Working Committee zoning formula for the November elective convention.

Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting in Abuja on Monday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that the decision followed the presentation of a report by the Zoning Committee chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.

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Recall that during the 2023 elections, the PDP threw its presidential ticket open, leading to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate.

However, some southern leaders, led by then Rivers State Governor and now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, opposed him over what they saw as an unfair power-sharing arrangement for the South.

READ ALSO:Prove You Are Not Terrorist Organisations, Falana Challenges APC, PDP

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In the end, the PDP candidate lost to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

After declaring the zoning arrangement, Ologunagba added that the NEC also expressed satisfaction over the level of preparedness of the PDP’s various organs, Chapters and structures for the 2025 Elective National Convention scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital on Saturday 15th to Sunday 16th November 2025.

Ologunagba, while reading the 102nd NEC communiqué, said the meeting commended the efforts of PDP governors, Board of Trustees, NWC, National Assembly caucus, and other party organs toward the success of the 2025 National Convention.

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The communique read in part, “NEC received and after extensive deliberation approved the report of the National Convention Zoning Committee which recommended that all PDP National Office positions currently in the Northern Region of the country remain in the Northern Region.

READ ALSO:Anenih’s Son Dumps PDP, Gives Reason

That all PDP National Office positions currently in the Southern Region of the country remain in the Southern Region.

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“That having retained the position of the National Chairman in the Northern Region of the country, the Presidential Candidate of the Party for the 2027 General Election is hereby zoned to the Southern Region.

“That the Regions should immediately micro-zone positions within its Region for implementation.

“NEC also received an update from the PDP Constitution Amendment Committee and directed the Committee to circulate the Draft Constitution Amendment to various Organs and Chapters of the Party for further inputs.”

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Ologunagba said NEC confirmed Umar Damagum as substantive National Chairman, effective Monday, August 25, 2025, in recognition of his role in stabilising the party, pending the National Convention.

READ ALSO:PDP Announces National Convention Zoning Committee Inauguration Date

He continued, “NEC condemns the resort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to State Capture through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians as witnessed in APC’s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country.

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“NEC particularly expressed dismay and condemned the militarisation of the recent bye-elections especially in Kaduna and Taraba States as well as Zamfara State where excessive security agencies were deployed in the conduct of the run-off election in only five Polling Units in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency.

“NEC declares that this action by the APC is a confirmation of the APC’s desire to turn our country into a totalitarian One-Party State which is a clear and present danger to democracy and the corporate existence of our country.

“NEC reassures Nigerians of PDP’s commitment to Democracy and the defense of the interest and well-being of all citizens as we work hard to further reposition our Party to regain power in 2027.”

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Why APC Candidates Contested 2023 LG Election Despite Intimidation — State Chairman

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The Edo State Chairman
of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe, has explained why his party did not boycott the 2023 local government council election in the state despite intimidation and obvious efforts to compromise the exercise by the then government.

He said the party allowed its candidates to contest the local government election in order to gather momentum for the governorship election which was some months away as at then.

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Tenebe spoke on Monday when he received the chairmanship candidates of the APC in that election at the party secretariat, Benin City, where he assured them that their labour would not be in vain.

He commended them for their determination, confidence and belief in the party despite being in an opposition at that time contesting against an incumbent government led by former governor Godwin Obaseki.

READ ALSO: Why Peter Obi Must Get Security Clearance Before Coming To Edo — APC Chair, Tenebe

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Tenebe said “People never believed that APC should contest that election but I believed that we should enable us to gather momentum for the governorship election which was coming then.

“Consultations began with party leaders and we all later agreed that the party should contest that election which was keenly contested.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under Godwin Obaseki wrote the results of that election.

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“You people did your best in the election and campaigned vigorously for senator Monday Okpebholo to win the governorship election in the state.

READ ALSO:Opposition Will Collapse In Edo Before 2027, Says Okpebholo

“You work hard to ensure APC win the governorship election as that is the only way your stolen mandate will be returned.

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“The party will stand with you and not allow your labour to be in vain. The party will not allow you to work alone as the party will work with you. The governor is very much aware of your support”.

Speaking on behalf of the candidates, Enahoro Aikpokpo said they contested at a very difficult time to keep the party alive despite the intimidation and challenges they faced.

He called on the party to consider them and give them the right of first refusal as they are interested in the forthcoming local government election in the states.

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[BREAKING] Edo: APC Suspends Ex-senatorial Aspirant Of Party

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The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has suspended a chieftain of the party and a former senatorial aspirant, Hon. Valentine Asuen.

A statement signed by State Party Publicity Secretary, Barr. Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, and Made available to journalists on Monday, said Asuen was suspended from the party in “accordance with the provisions of the APC Constitution 2022, as amended.”

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The publicity secretary added that “this disciplinary action became necessary following his conduct, which runs contrary to the spirit of unity, loyalty, and collective progress enshrined in our constitution.”

According to Uwadiae-Igbinigie, “His actions have been deemed to amount to inciting division within the Party, thereby undermining the cohesion and discipline expected of every member.”

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In line with Article 21:2 (ii) & (v) of the Party Constitution 2022, as amended, such conduct constitutes a violation of the obligations of a member. Furthermore, as clearly stipulated in Article 21:5 (a), (c), (d), (e), (f) & (h), these infractions are punishable offences, warranting disciplinary measures including suspension.

“The APC remains committed to internal democracy, discipline, and the protection of its integrity. No act capable of destabilizing the Party or inciting disaffection amongst members will be condoned.

“Let it be clearly stated that all appointments made thus far by His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo, have been evenly distributed across the state, including Oredo Local Government Area, without any undue influence from the Party’s Secretary, Engr. Lawrence Okah,” the statement reads.

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