Buhari Divides APC Governors Over Choice Of National Chairman, Stakeholders May Reject Consensus

In a move that has sent shock waves across the All Progressives Congress, APC, and  divided governors of the party, President Muhammadu has confirmed the rumour that he ditched former Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr Tanko Al-Makura and chose Senator Abdullahi Adamu as his candidate for the party’s position of National Chairman.

At a meeting with the governors of the party before jetting out to the UK on two weeks medical vacation en route Kenya, the president was quoted as telling the governors who came to see him that his choice was Adamu and everyone should go home and work for him on “consensus to allow for peace.”

The president also told them that instead of the post of the National Secretary going to the South East, it should be zoned to the South West while Mr Ken Nnamani, former Senate President in the government of the PDP, should be the Deputy Chairman.

A source close to a governor who  attended the meeting with the president, which was boycotted by some notable governors including the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, Mai Mala Buni, said no one questioned or spoke against the choices of the president.

“We did not speak. The whole scene was quiet. It was like an order passed down to school children,” he quoted the governor who expressed surprise at the development later in the evening at the governor’s lodge.

It was gathered that Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, who claims to be close to the president and  got wind of the development and stayed away from the meeting.

Umahi has been very vocal about a president from the South East , with his defection from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, informed by the promise he will be the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election.

Although Umahi was absent, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and the outgoing deputy governor of Anambra State, Mr Nkem Okeke, were present but offered no contrary view.

“The South West did not bargain for the post of the National Secretary being that they are rather interested in ensuring that such a position goes elsewhere to boost their chances of producing the presidential flag bearer,” a member of the caretaker Committee told THE WHISTLER on Wednesday on phone.

The source pointed out that, “I was shocked myself when I heard of how the meeting went. How can the South East be overlooked? We have done enough for the party, producing two governors from the zone.

“Unfortunately, some of us were not there so we could not say anything. Imagine the president dashing the South West the post of the National Secretary they did not ask for! Doesn’t the whole thing smacks of hatred for my zone?”

On the choice of Adamu, who represents Nasarawa West in the senate, he said, “How can someone choose Adamu over Al-Mukara, Senator Musa Sani and few other young aspirants? It’s a surprise but that’s our party.”

Interestingly, Al-Makura has received endorsement by the governor of his state, Mr Abdullahi Sule and some stakeholders of the party.

He was the only governor on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, when Buhari launched the party. It is claimed that he singlehandedly financed the party and helped to create structures which endeared him to Buhari, who contested on the platform of the party to be President but failed until the alliance of 2014 led to the emergence of the APC and the party’s victory in 2015.

It’s not clear why Buhari abandoned Al-Makura and settled for Adamu but sources have said it may not be unconnected with reports from the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, and the State Security Service, SSS, which have indicted him for corruption when he was governor.

It was learnt that the way the president handled the meeting did not sink well with almost all the governors including Mr Kay   ode Fayemi, the Ekiti State governor.

Fayemi, before the meeting with Buhari, had endorsed Mr Sani Musa as his preferred choice for the party’s National Chairman and was rallying other colleagues to see Musa through.

Musa, who is from Niger State, like Al-Makura, has received endorsement from his state governor, Mr Abubakar Bello, who attended the meeting with the president but, like his colleagues, offered no contrary view.

Others who attended the meeting include  the chairman of the PGF and governor of Kebbi State, Mr Atiku Bagudu,  Govs Aminu Masari (Katsina), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Sani Bello (Niger), and Umar Ganduje (Kano).

Notable governors opposed to the president’s position and who were absent were Sule, Buni,  Babajide Sanwo-Olu and  Rotimi Akeredolu.

The Cross River State governor, Mr Ben Ayade, did not attend but is said to be a follower of Buhari and thus is not expected to oppose the president’s choice.

A member of the Musa camp told our correspondent on Wednesday morning that nothing has changed regarding his popularity, as he will continue to campaign until he emerges on March 26.

“Nothing has changed really about the status of the leading candidate to be National Chairman of the APC. It doesn’t matter if the president endorsed him, or not.

“You must have read or heard that not all the governors supported that idea, so let’s wait and see how this unfolds till the day of the convention.”