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Tag: Ajibola Basiru

  • APC NEC Meeting Focuses on Leadership Crisis and Nomination of Ganduje

    APC NEC Meeting Focuses on Leadership Crisis and Nomination of Ganduje

    By Daniel Edu

    As the All Progressives Congress (APC) national caucus meeting held on Wednesday, attention has now shifted to the upcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. The gathering will primarily address the longstanding crisis within the APC and the nomination of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, former Governor of Kano State, and Senator Ajibola Basiru, Spokesperson for the ninth Senate.

    The NEC meeting, scheduled to take place at 11.00 am at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, is expected to be attended by prominent figures of the party. Besides President Bola Tinubu, other heavyweight APC chieftains anticipated include former President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC governors, former Senate president Ahmad Lawan, ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila, and members of the National Working Committee.

    Given the presence of the president and other party leaders, heavy security and convoys are expected to be in place.

    While the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka, has not responded to inquiries, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, expressed the party leadership’s enthusiasm for the NEC meeting. Ibrahim didn’t provide extensive details on how the NEC plans to ratify the choice of Ganduje and Basiru. He simply highlighted that both candidates are legitimate members of the party with the right to aspire to various political positions.

    A reliable source at the presidency disclosed that the NEC meeting would also address the ongoing crisis within the party leadership and likely approve the nomination of Ganduje as the national chairman and Basiru as the secretary. The NEC may work as a substitute for a convention and make ultimate decisions regarding these appointments. However, the positions of welfare officer, deputy national publicity secretary, and Vice Chairman for North-West, left vacant by Lukman’s resignation, are expected to be filled by the NWC.

    Meanwhile, a prominent APC member, Abdul Onusi, has shown support for the selection of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the national chairman. Onusi believes that Ganduje’s dedication and hard work for the party make him a deserving candidate. Additionally, Onusi urged Bola Tinubu, another influential figure in the party, to consider rewarding some of his former presidential campaign coordinators, specifically mentioning Dr. Abubakar Gamji and James Faleke, with federal appointments.

    The nomination of Ganduje has sparked mixed feelings among party members, and Onusi’s statement highlights the importance of recognizing and rewarding the efforts of loyal party members. The upcoming NEC meeting will play a crucial role in resolving the party’s internal crisis and determining the future leadership.

  • Doubts Arise Over Aregbesola’s APC Membership, Claims Former Senate Spokesman

    Doubts Arise Over Aregbesola’s APC Membership, Claims Former Senate Spokesman

    Dr. Ajibola Basiru, the former senator representing Osun Central in the 9th Senate, expressed skepticism on Wednesday regarding the membership of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in the All Progressives Congress (APC). Basiru cited Aregbesola’s activities leading up to the recent general elections as the basis for his doubts.

    Speaking at his campaign office in Osogbo while giving an account of his tenure in the Red Chamber, Basiru explained that he did not visit the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, to seek support for his reelection bid. He stated that the monarch did not exhibit impartiality between parties fielding candidates in the election.

    During his speech, Basiru failed to mention Aregbesola when acknowledging the eminent leaders of the APC and expressing gratitude for their contributions in maintaining party unity. When asked about Aregbesola’s absence from the list of APC leaders, Basiru pointed out that during the National Assembly election, Aregbesola did not campaign, support the party, or even cast his vote for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, their benefactor and mentor. Basiru also questioned Aregbesola’s participation in the subsequent House of Assembly election.

    In response, Mr. Sola Fasure, an aide to Aregbesola, stated that the former governor of Osun is currently focused on unifying the APC in the state. Fasure emphasized that Aregbesola’s actions demonstrate his commitment to the party.

    It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold, and further clarification may be needed to ascertain Aregbesola’s current party affiliation.