Members of
the All Progressives Congress have begun to jostle for the position of the
suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, at the
National Working Committee of the party.
Lawal was
the National Vice Chairman (North- East) of the APC until his appointment as
the SGF.
Saturday
PUNCH gathered in Abuja on Friday that the delay in holding the inaugural
bi-annual APC National convention is affecting plans to hold the ward and zonal
congresses from where the new National Vice Chairman is expected to emerge
before it is ratified by the National Convention.
For now ,
three persons namely: Alhaji Usman Iya -Abbas, Umar Sani (Sanda ) and the
pioneer APC National Vice Chairman, North- West , Umar Duhu, are leading the
park of contenders.
Of the
three, Duhu is said to be making a strong case for a comeback having stepped
aside in favour of Lawal, as part of the APC merger agreement.
Duhu who
hails from Adamawa State , is considered a loyalist of former Vice President
Atiku Abubakar, who is a chieftain of the APC. He hails from the same
constituency with former Political Adviser to ex -President Goodluck Jonathan ,
Ahmed Gulak , as well as a former Adamawa State Acting Governor , James
Ngilari.
Meanwhile,
preparations for the national convention are expected to begin in full swing as
the month of Ramadan draws to a close.
Saturday
PUNCH gathered that the party leadership is proposing to send four persons to
meet with Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to choose a date for the
convention.
A highly
placed member of the party ’ s National Working Committee, who spoke on the
condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media,
said four senior party officials are being proposed.
He said ,
“For now , our National Chairman, Chief John Odigie - Oyegun, our Secretary,
Mai Mala Buni, National Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso and the
Chairman of the Progressives Governors ’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha , are the ones
likely to meet with the Acting President.
“ We have
yet to agree on a date but it will be soon after the fasting period because we
must hold the convention this year that is one thing I know . When a date is
fixed then we can set up a convention committee involving all stakeholders.”
Attempts to
get official comments from the party ’ s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji
Abdullahi, were unsuccessful. Calls to his mobile telephone indicated that it
was switched off , and response to a text message sent to him was still being
expected as of the time of filing this report.
Punch
Punch
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