By Ayo Yusuf
The Deputy National Chairman, North, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Abubakar Kyari, presided over the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling party which kicked off today.
The development confirms the widely reported resignation of the national chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, at the weekend. Although the chairman was reported to have tendered his resignation with the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, the latter insists that he is still the party’s secretary.
Senator Omisore’s lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, told reporters that his client has not resigned from office, describing stories of his departure as “baseless and unfounded.”
However, as the meeting of the National Working Committee, NWC, got underway at the Buhari House national secretariat of the party, both senators Omisore and Adamu were absent as Senator Kyari
led a team of seven other members of the NWC to a meeting in his office around 10.40am.
Reporters also noted that the official car of Mr. Kyari was parked in the slot reserved for the National Chairman and though Senator Omisore arrived the venue one hour later he left almost immediately. Mr. Omisore said he was leaving to meet with Mr.Adamu claiming that he had no idea why the former governor was not at the secretariat.
Kyari had come in earlier with the Deputy National Chairman (South) Emma Enukwu; National Vice Chairman (North West) Salihu Lukman; National Vice Chairman (North East) Salihu Mustapha; National Vice Chairman (North Central) Muazu Bawa; National Vice Chairman(South West) Issacs Kekemeke; National Vice Chairman (South East) Ejoroma Arodiogu and the Deputy National Secretary, Barrister Festus Fuanter.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary of the APC, Nze Chidi Duru, who confirmed the resignation of the embattled National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said the NWC members expect Omisore to resign too.
However, Mr. Ajulo who said it was unlikely for both the party’s National Chairman, and Omisore to vacate their offices at the same time and if Mr. Omisore chose to resign it would be a personal decision not because he was forced to resign as being insinuated in some quarters.
“Why must he resign, he is the National Sectetary of the winning party that has just ushered in the new government of President Bola Tinubu.
“He is proud of what the president is doing and the party enjoys the confidence of the president and vice versa
“What he is doing now is to stabilise the political space and ensure that those who worked for the emergence of President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian people are happy with the government,” Ajulo said.
Security around the national secretariat was beefed up with those driving into Blantrye Street, where the party headquarters is situated subjected to checks while passers-by are also stopped for questioning.
