By OUR REPORTER, Abuja
Former Governor of Nasarawa State and Senator of the Federal Republic, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, has emerged as the National Chairmanship of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
From Right, H.E. President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the APC National Convention, held at Eagle Square Abuja, on Saturday March 26, 2022.
Adamu, from Keffi Emirate in the Nigeria’s North Central state, rose to the exalted seat of the broom party precisely one year and nine months after the Adams Oshiomhole led National Working Committee (NWC) was dissolved and replaced with the Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee and Extra-ordinary Convention Committee (CCECC).
The calm but, characteristically, nonsense father figure was returned unopposed on Saturday when the long dragged APC’s National Convention finally held as scheduled at the Eagle Square, Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Adamu, until the period of his election that climaxed Saturday March 26, 2022, was a serving Senator representing Nasarawa West, a political office he occupied after meritorious service in Lafia Government House as Nasarawa State Governor.
Although Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, did not reveal, he had earlier said President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice for the job was in the North Central.
On the eve of the convention, Friday night while responding to questions on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the sitting Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr Abdullahi Sule, revealed that Abdullahi Adamu had been confirmed as the consensus candidate from among the about six contestants for the party’s top job.
The DEFENDER reports that his confirmation was further strengthened by withdrawal of his co-contenders from after governors and National Assembly leadership’s meetings with President Buhari in State House Abuja, on Wednesday and Thursday, respective.
Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State, who is also Chairman of the Electoral Committee, announced Adamu as winner of the contest after he was endorsed by party members and leaders at the convention via a voice vote.
Adamu replaces Mai Mala Buni, who has for almost two years been Caretaker Chairman of the APC as a current position he held with his statutory Office of the Governor of Yobe State.
Buni had replaced Adams Oshiomhole, the APC national chairman, who was sacked by court following which his NWC was dissolved in June 2020.
Buni’s term of reference was to administer the affairs of the party pending when a convention would be conducted, which finally held successfully this Saturday.
Barely a day to the convention, the coast got cleared for Adamu after six aspirants from the North Central geopolitical eyeing the ruling party’s top job stepped down for him.
They included the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume; former Governors Tanko Al-Makura and Abdul’Aziz Yari, as well as Senator Sani Musa, Saliu Mustapha, and Muhammed Etsu.
A letter dated March 25, 2022, and addressed to Governor Badaru, confirmed the withdrawal of the aspirants.
“May I kindly refer to the appeal by Mr President for the chairmanship aspirants of our great party to agree to a consensus arrangement wherein our colleague H.E. Sen. Abdullahi Adamu is made our consensus candidate for the chairmanship position and forward letters of withdrawal from the underlisted aspirants,” said the letter signed by Senator Akume.
At Saturday elective convention were Leader of the Party, President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other government functionaries including leadership of National Assembly led by Senate President Ahmed Lawan, and very many party faithful.
Other photographs from the event:
From Left: Bola Tinubu and Yemi Osinbajo.
From Left: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and APC National Chairman Adamu Abdullahi.
… Details of other elected officers later….
