Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State has declared himself the acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said this after presiding over a meeting of the Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday.
“I am the acting chairman [caretaker] APC and the governor of Niger State,” he told reporters after the meeting.
His comment comes amid reports that Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has been sacked as the chairman of the Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee.
Multiple reports suggested that security agents had stormed the party’s secretariat ahead of the meeting but the Niger governor said there is no cause for alarm.
“Well, every time there is a major event, we beef up security. So, today, we had a major event because all the chairmen came with their supporters and there were too many people,” governor Bello said.
“So, to maintain law and order when you have too many people, you beef up security. ”
He, however, said he does not know the whereabouts of Governor Buni and his current post in the party.
“I am aware of any position at the moment,” he said. “I know he has travelled.”
According to him, he has the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the party. He explained that they discussed the party’s convention, expressing happiness with the work so far done to make it a success.
Monday’s development is expected to stir controversy among stakeholders in the party as the APC prepares for its convention. Earlier, President Buhari had expressed optimism that the APC will organise a hitch-free exercise.
“Well, they should wait and see. How did we come as a party to take power from the ruling party who had been there before us for so many years? So, we have the capacity, everything will be alright,” he said just before flying out to the UK for a medical checkup.
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