.

.…Adamu’s endorsement, mere speculation – Akume group

Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja

The Buhari House national secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC was a beehive on Friday as several aspirants thronged the party headquarters to submit their nomination and expression of interest forms.

Among those who were at the secretariat were three national chairmanship aspirants who refuted claims that President Muhammadu Buhari may have endorsed a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu for the top party officials.

Some of the Chairmanship aspirants who submitted their forms were Senators Mohammed Sani Musa, Abdullahi Adamu, Tanko Almakura, George Akume, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, and Mallam Mohammed Etsu.

Addressing journalists, Senator Musa said if there was any endorsement, the ruling party would not have sold forms to any other contestant.

“Why did the party sell forms to us? You sold forms to us. And as far as I am concerned, there has never been anybody who officially contacted me or other aspirants. Nobody! And the spokesperson to Mr President, Femi Adesina has said that there is no endorsement.

“So, we want a vibrant leadership. We want leadership that will change the status quo. What are we talking about, the endorsement I want is your endorsement. I want the endorsement of 43 million APC members. That is what I need”.

Also Read:

.APC Convention: Ex-PGF boss uncovers imposition plot by defunct CPC members

‘Endorsement, mere speculation’

Also, some stakeholders of the party under the aegis of Akume Coalition have said the national chairmanship ambition of a former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu is not a threat to the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, describing Adamu’s purported endorsement by President Muhammadu Buhari as a media creation.

Their position was sequel to media reports that President Buhari had endorsed Adamu as the next national chairman of the party.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the Director-General of Akume Coalition, Suleiman Zailani, said the former Benue state governor would reposition and stabilize the party for more victories if given the mandate.

He said, “Akume is God sent, not just to APC but to the Nigerian people. As stakeholders in this project, we will not relent in our campaign based on what is going on on the pages of the newspaper (Abdullahi Adamu’s endorsement) as far as no official communication has been passed on that.

“Our party is very dear to us and is very dear to Nigerians. APC has gone far ahead of any other party in Nigeria. Therefore, the sustenance of APC rule in Nigeria beyond 2022 is very fundamental to the life of the Nigerian people.

“On Wednesday, he picked his forms and that makes him a candidate for the convention. We must congratulate Nigerians on that for the kind of succour that is coming to the party and Nigeria at large.

“The party has found itself in one issue or the other coming from leadership gaps but we are calling on party members who are concerned today in the making of the leadership of the party to be steadfast.”

Quit now

Meanwhile, the APC Concerned Peoples Forum in the Federal Capital Territory
FCT has asked Senator Adamu to step down for another former Governor of Nasarawa state, Senator Tanko Almakura.

While it advised Adamu to quit active involvement in politics, the forum said age was fast catching up with him and that it may be difficult for him to withstand the rigours of superintending over a ruling party.

At a news conference in Abuja, Chairman of the Forum, Hassan Sardauna said what APC needs now is a leader who is strong enough to lead the party into the next general election.

“Almakura took time to organize Nasarawa state as a governor. He ended several crises in most parts of the state. The APC needs a resolute but democratic leader.

“Adamu is clever enough to stay away and let Almakura go on. It is time for Senator Adamu to quit the political stage and give room to others”, he stated.

In his reaction, Senator Adamu expressed optimism that he would win the Chairmanship race and assume office on March 28.

Represented by the Director-General of his campaign organization, Lawrence Onuchukwu, Adamu said; “I am sure you that come March 28, we will resume in this place. Why do I say this? Our great leader, the father of the land, President Muhammadu Buhari from what we are hearing or what we know, has given kudos to what we are doing, and that is more than enough for every right-thinking party man to key into this project.

“Buhari has given kudos to what we are doing. He is a man who believes in due process. Our principal is not here today. He is already in the village talking to delegates because every politics is local. That is why we are here. So don’t misquote me that the President has endorsed anybody. The President has not endorsed anybody, but he has asked us to go and follow due process and this is what we are doing”.

Also, the APC Youth Forum has purchased the nomination and expression of interest forms for the National Youth Leader in the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC, Barr. Ismae’el Ahmad, saying he has to vie for the position of the Party’s National Organizing Secretary.

Chairman of the Forum, Ife Adebayo said Mr Ahmad “has contributed to this party and as young people, we believe that based on his contribution to the party he’s fit and able to organize this party and put the party on the right footings working with other members of the NWC before the general elections in 2023”.

Convener of the APC Rebirth Group, Engr. Aliyu Audu said the youths decided to pull resources together to purchase the form for Ahmad because it was time they had a representative in the National Working Committee NWC apart from the statutory office of the National Youth Leader.

Vanguard News Nigeria