Almost one year and nine months after the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) was dissolved, the ruling party has confirmed Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State as its National Chairman at its ongoing national convention.

The convention is taking place at the Eagle Square in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Our correspondent gathered that the development followed reported withdrawal from the race by all other contenders for the national championship position.

It resulted from a series of persuasions and negotiations by leaders and governors of the APC for the other aspirants eyeing the ruling party’s top job to step down for Senator Adamu.

Adamu, a serving member of the Senate representing Nasarawa West and former governor of the state, is President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice for the job.

A letter dated March 25, 2022, and addressed to the chairman of the APC election sub-committee confirmed the withdrawal of six other 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 George Akume.

Akume, who is the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, was one of the aspirants eyeing the office of the national chairman of the APC.

He listed the remaining five aspirants to include former governors Tanko Al-Makura and Abdul’Aziz Yari, as well as Senator Sani Musa, Saliu Mustapha, and Muhammed Etsu.

Senator Akume further confirmed his withdrawal from the national chairmanship contest in a statement on Saturday.

The APC, at the convention holding at the Eagle Square in Abuja, is expected to elect a new NWC to succeed the former Governor Adams Oshiomhole led NWC.

The convention is being organised by the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) led by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, which has since taken over the administration of the party’s affairs pending the election of a new NWC.

Governor Buni led CECPC took over the APC leadership in June 2020 after the APC National Executive Council met and resolved to dissolve the NWC based on the recommendations of the President, in a bid to resolve the crisis that hit the party at the time.

Confirmed NWC Offices

As at press time, Muhazu Bawa Rijau (Niger) has been confirmed as national vice-chairman (north-central), while Salihu Lukman (Kaduna) confirmed as national vice-chairman (north-west) and Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim (Taraba) confirmed as deputy national women leader.

Source: StreetReporters.ng