The decision of the National Executive Committee NEC of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC to appoint a same-faith National Chairman and National Secretary for the party on Thursday was met with a wave of discontent, as some chieftains of the party described the action as “terribly insensitive”.
Wednesday’s night meeting of the National Caucus of the party had recommended the immediate-past Governor of Kano state, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje for the office of National Chairman, and spokesperson of the 9th Senate, Ajibola Basiru as National Secretary.
Their nominations followed the recent forced resignation of the erstwhile National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
Two officials of the party who spoke to Vanguard off the records said while the development could not be immediately reversed, it must be on record that the APC has now yielded itself to a particular religion.
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“We know what we went through with the Tinubu/Shettima Muslim-Muslim ticket. As if that was not enough, we were on the verge of producing a Muslim Senate President until many of us protested. That said, we still have a Muslim Speaker.
“We did not force Adamu out only to be replaced by another Muslim. If you read the statements of the former National Vice Chairman, Northwest, Salihu Moh. Lukman one of his consistent demands was that Adamu be replaced with a Christian from the North Central.
“Now, you did not do that but went ahead to even distort the zoning formula by taking that office to the North West.
“And to add salt to injury, the new National Secretary is also a Muslim. These are the two main people who run the party. There should be religious sensitivity”, he stated.
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At its 12th meeting in Abuja on Thursday, the APC NEC mandated the National Working Committee NWC to consult with all relevant stakeholders, evolve an acceptable zoning formula and fill other vacant positions within its fold.
Some of the vacancies the NWC was mandated to fill include Deputy National Chairman, North, National Woman Leader and National Legal Adviser. The office of the National Vice Chairman, Northwest, was not listed as Vanguard had earlier reported that the NWC was yet to accept the resignation of the occupant, Salihu Moh. Lukman.
Vanguard gathered that the National Legal Adviser of the party, Ahmed El-Marzuk had resigned from the party’s NWC earlier in the week but kept his resignation under wraps.
It was learned that he resigned his appointment following insistence by some of his colleagues that he could no longer be in office due to some grave allegations against him which had prompted his interrogation by one of the anti-graft agencies.
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However, a man who identified himself as “Special Adviser to the National Legal Adviser”, AbdulHalim Adamu in a statement said his principal resigned to allow for the ongoing “reconfiguration of Party offices for national cohesion and adequate regional representation”.
He said; “In light of the recent developments within our great Party the All Progressives Congress APC, with the emergence of His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Senator Ajibola Basiru as National Chairman and National Secretary and the reconfiguration of Party offices for national cohesion and adequate regional representation, the National Legal Adviser found it pertinent that he resigns his position within the Party to allow for a smooth reconfiguration of the party’s leadership”.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio had at the commencement of the meeting moved a motion for an amendment of the agenda to empower the NWC to make realignments and take care of some vacancies, but was roundly rejected with shouts of “No, No”.
VANGUARD