By James Orji
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has debunked reports that Mai Mala Buni, the Chairman, Caretaker Committee has been removed.
The development comes ahead of the APC National Convention slated for March 26, and President Muhammadu Buhari’s endorsement of Abdullahi Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa state as the next chairman of the party.
The president had made his choice of Adamu known to the party’s leadership before he travelled to London on Sunday on a medical trip.
Buni who is also the governor of Yobe state was appointed in June 2020 to lead the party, following the removal of former chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. The Yobe helmsman has been accused by many leaders in the party of sitting tight in the position.
In a statement of Monday, the CECPC Secretary, Senator John Akpan Akpankudohede denied the removal of Buni.
“Our attention has been drawn to sponsored media reports of an imaginary leadership change in the APC CECPC. The media report is fake news and should be disregarded.
“The APC is a progressive political party guided by rules. Leadership changes are not announced by ‘sources’ through name dropping in the media,” Akpankudohede said.
The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena had on Sunday warned some elements in the party who he accused of trying to organized the party’s NEC meeting today without the approval of Governor Buni.
Some APC Governors were said to have met on yesterday under the leadership of Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello with the aim of formally removing Buni who has been in the top position for two years.
After the meeting held at the instance of Governor Bello, the attendees were said to have fixed the meeting of the party’s NEC for Monday(today) “where the planned to changed members of the caretaker committee” a source at the meeting said told the magazine few minutes ago.
The magazine learnt that some APC governors who attended the meeting in Abuja included Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Simon Lalong of Plateau, and Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa states, respectively.
Apart from the governors, Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was said to have attended the meeting convened by Governor Bello.
The magazine has yet to be informed whether the meeting will still take place today.
Nabena had in the statement accused Governor Bello of acting beyond his power as a member of the CECPC, adding that the plot will destroy the party except Bello is called to order by the president.
“I am using this medium to call on our leaders across the states to caution Governor Sani Bello of Niger state. The presidency should also call him to order to immediately drop the plan to convene a NEC meeting without the knowledge of Governor Mai Mala Buni and the Secretary of the CECPC.
“The likes of Governor Bello are the political vultures working against our party and to cause anarchy in the ruling APC.
“Governor Sani Bello is neither the Chairman nor Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee. So did he get the power to convey such meeting?
“Governor Bello should not destroy the ruling APC because of his personal political ambition of becoming Vice President or whatever in 2023,” the statement said.
