By Tosin Olatokunbo
The rift in the APC has deepened over the decision of the Senate APC Caucus refusal to back Senator Abdullahi Adamu for the position of National Chairman of the party. Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa state is believed to be President Muhammadu Buhari ‘s preferred candidate in the party’s national convention coming up on Saturday, March 26.
The president had cut short his medical trip in London to attend the convention coming up this weekend in Abuja, the nation’s capital. He was supposed to be in the United Kingdom, UK for two weeks, according to the information earlier released by the presidency, but had to rush back to Nigeria, in what watchers of the party described as his last minute push to ensure that Adamu is the party’s consensus candidate for the top position.
Feelers that the president is pushing seriously for Adamu had emerged on Monday after one of the aspirants, Ali modu Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State decided to step down from the contest. Also, Dr Sani Shinkafi another aspirants announced his withdrawal from the race yesterday, citing the need to respect the decision of the party to zone the position to the North Central.
From all indications, Senator Adamu will now have to square up with his successor in Nasarawa state, ex Governor Tanko Almakura who seemed to be pressing on with his ambition to lead the party despite Buhari’s alleged support for Adamu.
But it doesn’t seem the president has succeeded in reigning in the APC senators to support his candidate, despite earlier reports suggesing that they have thrown their weight behind Adamu who said last week that he will emerged victorious in the upcoming contest. It is however not also clear who the lawmakers are backing for the position, but sources told the magazine that it will not be difficult for Adamu to emerge on Saturday because the president has enlisted the governors to work for his emergence.
In a statement released on Monday by Senator Ajibola Basiru, the Chairman, Senate Committtee on Media and Public Affairs, the lawmakers said they are not backing any of the aspirants. They said their desires is for the strongest candidate to win.
Basiru said he’s “not aware that the APC senate caucus has adopted any senator for the position of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress. I know that three senators are contesting and there was no where or occasion when we took any decision to adopt any particular candidate.
“I will be very happy if any of them emerges as the APC national chairman on Saturday.The emergence of any of the three senators would be a good omen to our institution. Senators Abdullahi Adamu, Sani Musa and Tanko Al-Makura are in the race.”
Meanwhile, the APC in Osun State is also divided over the candidacy of Senator Iyiola Omisore for the position of National Secretary. Omisore, a former deputy governor of the state decamped to the party from the PDP ahead the governorship election in the state in 2018. But a faction of the party in the state led by a former governor and Minister of Interior said on Monday that Omisore’s nomination by the Governor Gboyega Oyetola led group is not acceptable to them.
