With the resignation of erstwhile embattled national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the presidency and top leaders of the party have embarked on consultations among party bigwigs for his replacement.
Deputy national chairman of the party, Senator Abubakar Kyari, who took charge of the party in acting capacity yesterday, announced Adamu’s exit immediately after a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) at the party’s national secretariat, Abuja.
Kyari also announced the resignation of the party’s national secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who was said to have tendered his resignation letter after he was barred from attending the emergency NWC.
Omisore who arrived in the party secretariat shortly after the commencement of the meeting stormed out of the party secretariat without speaking with journalists.
The deputy national secretary, Festus Fuanter, took over as acting national secretary of the party in line with the provision’s of the party’s constitution.
A top presidency source told Leadership last night that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s men were discussing with party critical stakeholders about who becomes the next chairman of the APC.
It was learnt that although some party chieftains are suggesting that the next national chairman should be Christian from the North in order to balance the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the party that produced President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, but others are of the opinion the next chairman should be chosen from among the candidates who stepped down for Adamu last year at the party’s national convention.
It was further gathered that settling for the second option since the same faith controversy was no longer an issue, former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, and Senator Sani Musa from Niger State are being considered as possible replacement for Adamu.
Al-Makura who lost his reelection to the Senate in the 2023 general election was one of the leading candidates in the race for APC national chairmanship position in 2022 until former President Muhammadu Buhari convinced governors on the party’s platform to accept Adamu as the preferred choice.
Our source who did not want his name in print said, “Yes, the president who arrived in the country yesterday already has enough options before him as canvassed by some party bigwigs. But he would have to meet with the APC governors to take a final stand.
“There are those who have even advised him to look beyond the North Central and get Adamu’s replacement from the North West as compensation for the failed bid to clinch the Senate presidency since the North Central already has the secretary to government of the federation (SGF). But politically, it would still amount to shortchanging the North Central which is still not happy after losing the speakership position.
“The idea is that the best thing is to maintain status quo in terms of the zone that should produce the next national chairman since zoning was not the main issue for the change of party leadership. So, we have two experienced persons who were major contenders for the position in 2022, Tanko Al-Makura and Sani Musa. While Senator Musa is considered as a level-headed politician whose loyalty to the president will not be in doubt, Al-Makura appears to be the preferred choice of the president’s men because of his closeness to Tinubu”.
Meanwhile, feelers within the party indicate that Adamu was also consumed by the politics of 2027.
It was learnt that Adamu who had until 2026 to serve as national chairman was edged out of office for fear that he could cause damage to the second term ambition of the current president.
Adamu had emerged APC national chairman during the 2022 national convention. He was to serve for a period of five years as stipulated by the party’s constitution.
However, a dependable source close to the party told Leadership that Adamu’s fate was sealed by the villa when he was excluded from the process that produced the presiding and principal officers in the National Assembly.
The source who spoke in confidence said, “The removal of Adamu is tied to the politics of 2027. Since he is believed not to have worked for the president, there are concerns that if he is allowed to continue in office till 2026 when his tenure will be due, he could have caused a lot of havoc.”
It was also gathered that the current APC national vice chairman (South West) Isaac Kekemeke might replace the Senator Iyiola Omisore who also resigned yesterday.
Kekemeke, a former APC chairman in Ondo State, was compensated with his current position after he stepped down for Omisore to emerge as national secretary.
The party source said, “Barr. Isaacs Kekemeke is tipped to replace Omisore. He was in the race to be national secretary before he was compensated with the position of South West vice chairman.”
Adamu also had an axe to grind with NWC members over the way he handled party finances since last year, including the billions of naira realised for the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms.
Another party source told this paper that when he was asked to present his financial report for review ahead of the NEC meeting, Adamu presented a one page executive summary which most of the NWC members rejected, insisting that he must provide a detailed financial report.
This led to the speculation that the party may have resolved to deploy EFCC operatives after him.
Meanwhile, the position on the next chairman, Leadership learnt, would be unveiled at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which was postponed indefinitely.
This, it was also gathered, was responsible for the postponement of the caucus and NEC meetings which were earlier billed for today and tomorrow, apparently to give the party and the presidency ample time to decide on the next chairman.
The acting national chairman, Kyari, who gave the hint while addressing journalists yesterday, noted that the proposed national caucus and NEC meetings slated for today and tomorrow have been postponed.
He said, “With the recent development, we implore everybody here that the proposed National Caucus and National Executive Committee meetings slated for July 18 and 19, 2023 are hereby postponed. This postponement is not indefinite. A new date will be communicated in the nearest future”.
The acting chairman refused to speak on what led to Adamu and Omisore’s resignation, saying the details of the change in leadership will be disclosed at a future date.
He also refuted reports suggesting that the presidency and the party may have deployed operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to arrest Adamu and Omisore.
He stated: “There are no allegations against them. Both of them resigned voluntarily and that is what is available at this moment. The details of their resignation will be made known to you in the nearest future”.
On how the issue of mismanagement raised by national vice chairman for North-West, Mallam Salihu Lukman, will be addressed, Kyari promised that the matter will be looked into.
“Everybody has his own style of administration and I think this present set of NWC will be relying on what the constitution says,” Kyari assured.
Announcing that the national secretary has been officially replaced with the deputy national secretary of the party, Festus Fuanter, he said Omisore and the erstwhile national chairman, Adamu, were no longer part of the APC leadership.
He said, “We are here to address the happenings and recent developments regarding the party. The NWC wishes to inform you about the resignation of the National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu and that of the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
“My humble self as the deputy national chairman (North) to assume the office of the acting national chairman, consequently too, the deputy national secretary, Barrister Festus Fuanter, will now assume the office of acting national secretary of the All Progressives Congress.”
Adamu reportedly tendered his resignation letter on Sunday on the orders of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
It became clear that Adamu had resigned his position as national chairman when Kyari, who arrived at the party’s national secretariat at about 10:35am, led a team of seven other members of the NWC to a meeting in his office.
Kyari’s official car was also parked in the space reserved for the national chairman.
The former national secretary, Omisore, who arrived at the national secretariat at about 11:20am was said to have been barred from the ongoing NWC meeting.
Omisore, who left the secretariat as soon as he came in, said he was going to meet Adamu, noting that he did not know why the former Nasarawa governor was not at the secretariat.
There was heavy security around the national secretariat located at Blantyre Street, as motorists are subjected to security checks, while passers-by are also stopped for questioning.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the APC has had a turnout of six national chairmen since it was formed in 2013, with Chief Bisi Akande as the pioneer chairman in interim capacity.
The first substantive national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, was compelled to shelve his to pave way former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who was said to be then President Buhari’s preferred choice.
But barely two years after Oshiomhole assumed office, forces within the party moved against him, while Buhari who he was banking on to rescue him looked the other way.
After Oshiomhole, Yobe State governor stepped in as caretaker chairman, but in what appeared to be a palace coup, he was forced to go unceremoniously, leading to the emergence of Adamu.
