Convention: Buhari, Governors Pick APC Consensus Chairman

To ensure a hitch-free convention on Saturday, President Muhammadu Buhari and governors elected on the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket agreed on a unity list based on consensus.

At a meeting held at the Presidential Villa with 16 governors in attendance, Buhari expressed his preference for a former Nasarawa State Governor Senator Abdullahi Adamu as national chairman.

The governors agreed with his choice.

A former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, was picked by consensus as Deputy National Chairman (South). Abubakar Kyari is the consensus candidate for Deputy National Chairman (North).

A governor said: “Deputy National Chairman (North) has been zoned to the Northeast and we have nominated Abubakar Kyari for the position.

“We are currently holding a meeting to firm up our position.”

It was learnt that an agreement was also reached at the meeting that all chairmanship aspirants who lost out would get a refund of their N20million nomination fee.

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Another source added: “The President invited the chairmanship aspirants to a meeting to seek their understanding on his choice of ex-Nasarawa State governor as the party’s chairman.

“He pleaded with them to avoid recourse to crisis and litigations over the party’s choice.”

None of the aspirants was willing to speak last night after the meeting.

With the list, the APC National Convention might only be a mere coronation as there were indications that there might not be an outright election.

Before the President’s meeting with the governors, seven chairmanship aspirants were screened by Governor Aminu Masari-led committee.

These are Saliu Mustapha, Sani Musa, Tanko Al-Makura, Abdullahi Adamu, George Akume, Abdulaziz Yari and Mohammed Etsu.

Also screened for other positions are Deputy Chair North – Sunny S. Moniedafe, Abubakar Girei, Yakubu Dogara, Isa Yuguda and Abubakar Kyari; Deputy Chair South – Ken Nammani and Emmanuel Joseph; and National Secretary – Iyiola Omisore, Adebayo Shittu and Ifeolu Oyedele.

The Northeast zone was locked in a meeting last night to firm up its list of nominees.

Those at the meeting were ex- Governor M.A.Abubakar, Senator Haliru Jika (Bauchi), Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Senator Alkali and Hon.Ustaz Yamaltu-Deba (Gombe).

Others were Governor Babagana Zulum (Borno), Senator Kashim Shettima and Muktari Betara (Borno); Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe), Senator Yusuf A.Yusuf, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Danjuma Shidi and a minister from Taraba State.

The representatives from Adamawa State include ex-Governor Muhammad Bindo Jibrilla, Senator Cliff Ishaku Aboh and Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani.