Ahead of the March 26 National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), some stakeholders in the party have rejected purported endorsement of a former Governor of Nassarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu as National Chairman and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani as Deputy National Chairman -South.
There were reports last week that President Muhammadu Buhari had annointed Adamu as the Consensus candidate for the position of the APC National.
But the party’s stakeholders under the ageis of APC Rebirth at a press conference in Abuja said any endorsement of Adamu as the chairman of the party is a very dangerous gamble, one that signals a return of APC to the hands of the original PDP members.
APC Rebirth Spokesperson, Aliyu Audu in the address said, the Senator representing Nasarawa West, is not deserving of the coveted seat in APC ahead of many other aspirants who have unwavering belief in the ideals of the party and have laboured day and night for its success.
Audu said the former Nasarawa Governor has not demonstrated any commitment of being young people inclined, especially at a time that the young members of APC who constitute more than 80% of the membership have been singing about marginalisation and non-inclusion.
“The lingering and now widespread speculation as to the plan to bring a former member of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP in the person of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as the APC National Chairman in the forthcoming Convention, where loyal, qualified and competent foundation members of the APC are also in the race is not only an aberration but a violation of the established principle of APC which respects long term fidelity to the party and frowns at every vestige of injustice.
Read also: APC candidate, Lawson-Alade wins Ondo By-election
“We believe also that Senator Abdullahi Adamu, in his recent assignment as the chairman of the reconciliation committee is a case in hand. Even though he failed grossly in reconciling aggrieved members of our party, particularly from all the states he visited, Senator Adamu failed to accord recognition to the critical mass of young people in the party who are even more aggrieved by the people he consulted during the so called reconciliation process.
“Added to the issue of his capacity and competence is the issue of his unresolved cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The APC, especially as a party that prides itself as one that frowns against corruption cannot afford to have any individual with questions to answer as her leader and we, the stakeholders will not be party to any sort of travesty on our party’s anti-corruption ideology.
“Additionally, he does not possess the democratic credentials that should be exemplary of a National Chairman in a party like the APC, considering that he was one of the strong proponents of Obasanjo’s third term agenda. If that agenda had succeeded, the beneficiary may be sitting as a lifetime president today, but we wonder if that development would have deepened democracy so much as to have a progressive party like the APC which some interest now want to hand over to Abdullahi Adamu,” he said.
Audu also said raised alarm over plans to also bring another member of APC from the stock of PDP in the person of Nnamani, to serve as the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party.
“While he is known publicly to be a member of the All Progressives Congress, there are several instances where his loyalty to the party has been questioned. Information out there is that he has continued to be a member of APC in the day time and a member of PDP at night, and while this information has not been proven to be true, the APC would be playing safe by refusing to hand over such an important position of Deputy National Chairman to a man whose loyalty once completely lied in the opposition.
“At this point in the life of the APC, what we need is a leader that can midwife us away from the damages caused to the party over the years and definitely not an individual who does not originally share in the ideals of the APC nor one whose temperament and level of tolerance will further deepen the disappointments of already disillusioned party members.
“As stakeholders we would rather throw our weight behind an aspirant whose integrity is unquestionable, someone who has demonstrated a proven capacity for youth inclusion and the ability to harvest the energy of young people to drive party activities especially in this age of digital and social media mobilization.
“We believe our preference is in line with the established commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to young persons, especially in relation to their political growth. The President has demonstrated this with his accent to the “Not Too Young To Run” Bill, his appointment of a sizeable number of result-driven young people into positions of authority; and the reinforcement of his commitment to the political growth of youths with his recent directive during the visit of the APC Youth Lobby Group,” he stated.
