The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has elected new national officers after almost two years of being led by a Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
This is as a former Governor of Nassarawa state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu emerged as the National Chairman of the party alongside other national officers to pilot the affairs of the party for at least four years, at the national convention which held at the Eagles Square in Abuja, Saturday.
Adamu, who is believed to have enjoyed President Muhammadu Buhari’s popular support, emerged as the National Chairman of the APC through a concensus arrangement.
The development came after months of intense politicking and brick-batting among the party faithfuls.
No fewer than six candidates withdrew from the contest to allow Adamu emerge as the consensus chairman.
Those who withdrew from the contest were Mustapha Saliu, Senator Sani Musa, Senator George Akume, Mohammed Etsu, Abdulraziz Yari and Senator Tanko Al-Makura.
Earlier on Saturday, Akume had in a letter addressed to the chairman, APC Election Sub- committee and dated March 25, announced the withdrawal of the six aspirants, explaining that the decision was to pave way for Adamu’s emergence as consensus candidate.
The six aspirants noted that their withdrawal was in compliance with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Besides Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who was unanimously endorsed via voice votes as party chairman, others that emerged via consensus arrangement include National Vice Chairman (North West), Salihu Lukman; National Vice Chairman (South East), Ijeoma Arodiogbu; National Vice Chairman (South-South), Victor Giadom; National Vice Chairman (South West) D. I Kekemeke; and National Legal Adviser, Ahmed El-Marzuk; Senator Iyiola Omisore also emerged as the National Secretary of the party.
Others are Uguru Matthew Fore (National Treasurer); Bashir Usman Gumeel (National Financial Secretary); Suleiman Argungu (National Organising Secretary); Betta Edu (National Woman Leader); Abdullahi Dayo Isreal (National Youth Leader); Tolu Bankole (Special Person With Disability Leader); Ibrahim Salawu (Deputy National Leader); and Omoriege Osifo (Deputy National Treasurer).
Mr Emmanuel Eneukwu emerged as Deputy National Chairman, South; Abubakar Kyari holds the Deputy National Chairmanship North; while Nze Chidi Duru is Deputy National Organising Secretary.
The senator representing Ekiti Central in the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, confirmed that the party leadership had appealed to several aspirants to step down for the complied unity list.
In his words, “Well, I think it was a wonderful thing for several aspirants to have come out to contest for the chairmanship of the party but I think it’s a better deal that the aspirants who have demonstrated capacity to reconcile. It was to the extent that nobody was forced to withdraw. It was an appeal. There was no pressure on anybody. It was an appeal that took a while.”
But, a former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, who was an aspirant for the position of National Secretary, rejected the Unity List.
While addressing journalists, Shittu described the consensus arrangement as a violation of his rights.
“For me, I will see the issue of consensus as an element of oppression against my person, against my rights and against the good people of Nigerians, so the question of stepping down does not arise.
“People tout the issue of consensus whenever they want to cheat others or engage in dictatorship. Consensus cannot be a compulsory agenda. We claim to be a progressive party, why are we not doing things differently from all other parties?,” he said.
Here’s the full list of the Newly Elected National Working Committee members of the APC.
1. Nat. Chairman – Sen. Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa)
2. Deputy Nat. Chairman (North)- Sen. Abubakar Kyari (Borno)
3. Deputy Nat. Chairman (South)- Chief Emma Eneukwu (Enugu)
4. National Secretary – Otunba Iyiola Omisore (Osun)
5. Deputy Nat. Secretary – Barr. Festus Fuantaer (Plateau )
6. Nat. Vice Chairman (N’Central)- Muhazu Bawa Rijau (Niger )
7. Nat. Vice Chairman (N’East)-Mustapha Salihu (Adamawa )
8. Nat. Vice Chairman(N’West)–Salihu Lukman (Kaduna)
9. Nat. Vice Chairman (S’East)- Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu (Imo)
10. Nat. Vice Chairman (S’South)- Chief Victor Giadom (Rivers )
11. Nat. Vice Chairman(South West)- D.I. Kekemeke (Ondo )
12. Nat. Legal Adviser – Barr. Ahmed El-Marzuk (Katsina )
13. Nat. Treasurer – Uguru Mathew Ofoke (Ebonyi )
14. Nat. Financial Secretary – Bashir Usman Guel (Jigawa )
15. Nat. Organising Secretary – Suleiman M. Argungun (Kebbi )
16. Nat. Welfare Secretary – Barr. (Sir) F.N. Nwosu (Abia )
17. Nat. Publicity Secretary – Barr. Felix Morka (Delta )
18. Nat. Auditor – Sen. Abubakar Maikafi (Bauchi)
19. Nat. Women Leader -Dr. Betta Edu (Cross River)
20. Nat. Youth Leader – Abdulahi Dayo Israel (Lagos)
21. Special (Persons with Disability) Leader – Tolu Bankole (Ogun )
22. Deputy Nat. Legal Adviser -Barr. Ibrahim Salawu (Kwara)
23. Deputy Nat. Treasurer Hon. Omorede Osifo (Edo)
24. Deputy Nat. Fin. Secretary – Hon. Hamma-Adama Ali Kumo(Gombe)
25. Deputy Nat. Organising Secretary -Nze Chidi Duru (Anambra)
26. Deputy Nat. Publicity Secretary – Yakubu Murtala Ajaka (Kogi)
27. Deputy Nat. Welfare Secretary- Dr. Christopher Akpan (Akwa Ibom)
28. Deputy Nat. Auditor- Olufemi Egbedeyi (Oyo)
29. Deputy Nat. Woman Leader – Zainnab Abubakar Ibrahim (Taraba )
30. Deputy Nat. Youth Leader – Jamaluddeen Kabir (Zamfara)
31. Nat. Ex-Officio (North Central)- Oluwatoyin Opawuye (Kwara )
32. Nat. Ex-Officio (North East)- Sirajo Dahuwa (Bauchi )
33. Nat. Ex-Officio (North West)- Aliyu Ahmed Yako (Kano)
34. Nat. Ex-Officio (South East)- Rt. Hon. Agunwa Anekwe (Anambra)
35. Nat. Ex-Officio (South South)- Hon. Diriwari Akedewei (Bayelsa)
36. Nat. Ex-Officio (South West)- Mrs. Bunmi Oriniowo (Ekiti)
