Change of guard in Nigeria’s ruling party, as Kyari, Fuanter replace Adamu, Omisore as new leaders

By OUR REPORTER, Abuja

In furtherance to our earlier report confirming the resignation of the duo of Sebator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Iyiola Omisore as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, we can more authoritatively report that the All Progressives Congress (APC) now have a new leadership.

This is as Senator Abubakar Kyari has now succeeded Adamu as Acting National Chairman and Barrister Festus Fuanter succeeds Omisore as Actional Secretary of the ruling party in Nigeria.

Senator Abubakar Kyari, until his emergence as Acting National Chairman of the party after the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja on Monday, was the Deputy National Chairman (North) APC.

Kyari, in his first press briefing as the party’s leader, formally announced the resignation of Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Iyiola Omisore as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

Kyari further said that in line with the constitution of the party, the Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, will serve as the acting National Secretary of the APC.

“As members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), we are here to address you to the happenings and recent developments regarding the party.

“The NWC wishes to inform you the resignation of the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and that of the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

“And with this development and according to the constitution of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), it is now incumbent on my humble self Senator Abubakar Kyari as a Deputy National Chairman, North to assume the office of the acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“And subsequently also, the Deputy National Secretary, Festus, Fuantar will now assume the office of the acting National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“And with this recent developments in the change of leadership, I will like to inform everybody here that the proposed National Caucus meeting slated for Tuesday, the 18th of July 2023 and the National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) slated for Wednesday night is July 2023 are hereby been postponed.

“And this postponement will not be indefinite but a new date will be communicated in the near future,” Kyari told journalists after the meeting.

On the reasons behind Adamu and Omisore’s resignations, Kyari said, “At this point, the individuals have resigned voluntarily and that is what is available at this moment. Reasons for resignations will be made to you in the near future.”

Adamu was absent from the NWC meeting on Monday while Omisore stormed out of the meeting held at the party secretariat in Abuja.

Kyari, who represented Borno North Senatorial District in the 9th National Assembly, presided over the APC NWC meeting.

In March 2022, Adamu emerged as APC national chairman about two years after the dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) was dissolved.

Adamu’s ordeal began in the buildup to the APC presidential primary in June 2022 when he announced then Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, as the party’s consensus candidate. The announcement was, however, strongly rejected by a league of then Northern governors including Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and Abdullahi Ganduje who preferred former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Tinubu eventually emerged as the party’s flag bearer after he trounced Lawan, then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, ex-Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, and other powerbrokers within the APC of the old.

The former Lagos State governor, heavily backed by the Northern governors, subsequently won the February 25, 2023 presidential poll.

There have been intra-party squabbles between the party’s camp that favoured Tinubu and other camps within the APC since the victory of Tinubu. However, the party had disregarded it as the usual politicking.

On July 4, 2023, Adamu rejected the list of principal officers for the 10th National Assembly (NASS) announced by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; and House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas is not from the party’s secretariat.

On July 12, 2023, Tinubu met with the class of 1999 governors about six weeks after his inauguration as Nigeria’s President on May 29, 2023 but Adamu, who was the governor of Nasarawa State from May 1999 to May 2007 was conspicuously absent and no explanation was offered for the absence of the 76-year-old politician.

Adamu, also in the class of ’99 governors, also represented Nasarawa West Senatorial District in the National Assembly between May 2011 and April 2022.

Also on July 12, 2023, on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, Omisore labelled the Vice-Chairman of the party in The North-West, Salihu Lukman as a “black sheep”.

However, Lukman, who had accused Omisore of mismanaging funds meant for campaigns in his home state, Osun State, during the just concluded general election, fired back, saying Adamu and Omisore were seeking to be emperors of the party.