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Tag: APC Governors

APC Governors To Meet With Buhari As Worry Deepens Over National Convention
President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors will meet Sunday on the likelihood of picking a definite date for the ruling party’s national convention.
Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, gave the hint Friday while responding to questions from State House reporters after a closed door meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The governor said the meeting will focus on the proposed date for the convention.
He said the President’s warning to the party that it risked losing power to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was a signal for the party to have a seamless convention so that it will not disintegrate.
He said the governors have now given the president the assurance that the convention will hold in February.
According to him, the president’s warning is for the party to redouble its effort and do the right thing.
Lalong said as a political party, the APC is made up of different interests saying, “what matters is that at the end of the day, we will elect our representatives.”
In an interview he granted to NTA, the president had warned his party to take the issue of convention seriously.
Buhari had said: “We have a timeframe and we have to work because the four years circle is constitutional and can’t be interfered with by anybody. If the party can’t agree on the convention, then the opposition can take over.
“What did the PDP do? They thought the opposition couldn’t come together, but ACN, ANPP, CPC, APGA came together and before PDP realized, they were thrown off, so they (APC members) can see.”
January 7, 2022
APC Governors disagree over Tinubu’s presidential ambition
Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, a fresh crisis is cooking in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the reported ambition of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s next President
Though Tinubu is yet to formally declare his interest in the presidential race, he has been making consultations and visiting prominent Nigerians to notify them and seek their support.
Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, who Tinubu recently visited in Abuja, disclosed that the APC national leader informed him of his presidential ambition and asked for his support.
Senator Rufai Hanga, pioneer national chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and APC chieftain, who recently dumped the ruling party, said there is a split among the APC governors on the issue of the presidential flagbearer of the party.
According to him, while some governors in the party have settled for one of them as presidential candidate with a serving minister in President Buhari’s administration as running mate, other governors are rooting for Tinubu, saying they should rally round him for all he has done for the party.
He said,“We have about three to four factions and it is next to impossibility to bring them together. There are governors in the party who have carved their own niche somewhere and are not ready to go with other governors.
“In fact, just three days ago, some governors sat and I heard it from very strong authority that they met and anointed one of them as presidential candidate. They have chosen his running mate from among one of the serving ministers. They are willing to go it all hog and are determined that there is no going back.
“There are other governors who are not willing to hear all that. These governors are all out for Asiwaju Tinubu. These ones are saying that it is unfortunate Asiwaju badly despite all he has done for the party. They are telling their colleague governors not to bite the finger that fed them. So, there is division among the APC governors right no won the issue of 2023”.
December 6, 2021
APC Governors, Senators, Reps Want New Generation Chairman
A COALITION made up of 12 governors, influential leaders, Senators and House of Representatives members has emerged in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the national convention of the party in June.
The aim of the coalition, The Nation gathered, is to enthrone a new generation chairman for the party.
The governors and other stakeholders involved are said to be opposed to anyone older than 65 years leading the party.
The coalition is also seeking the understanding of APC leaders to concede the national chairman slot to the North-Central zone because both the North-East and the North-West have had their fair shares of political offices.
Some of the aspirants who fall in this category include a former chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and former Zamfara State governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari; a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and former governor of Cross River State, Clement Ebri, among others.
The coalition is also not interested in any national chairmanship aspirant who has served in any executive position like governor, deputy governor, permanent secretary, ambassador, director-general or chief executive officer of a ministry, department or agency (MDAs).
They may also resist imposition by APC governors of any candidate as national chairman at the convention.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that members of the coalition tagged Movement for a New Generation of Leadership in APC have met secretly twice in Abuja on their proposed reforms at the convention.
During one of such meetings, they made a case for the North-Central to produce the next national chairman of the party because, in their view, the North-East and the North-West have had a fair share of political offices.
It was learnt that they have started lobbying for the buy-in of key APC leaders and stakeholders on the need for younger elements to lead the party.
According to a reliable source, the same group will soon reach out to President Muhammadu Buhari on its leadership template for APC.
The source said: “We are forming a coalition to effect sustainable reforms in APC. We will not leave the governors alone to lead the initiative of effecting changes in our party.
“We have formed a coalition comprising like minds, including governors, influential stakeholders, senators, members of the House of Representatives and others.
“We have met twice and we have resolved to form the Movement for a New Generation of Leadership in APC. We do not want any aspirant or candidate who has been a governor, deputy governor, minister, permanent secretary, ambassador, director-general or CEO of any MDA to lead the APC.
“We are seeking a clean slate. We will reject old aspirants like a former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari (ex-governor of Zamfara State); a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and ex-governor Clement Ebri, among others.
“We believe that those who have held executive positions in the past should take the back seat. We want to try something new in APC.
“Also, anyone from 65 to 70 years and above has no business managing APC. We want a new national chairman without any baggage so that we can run APC like a normal party is run anywhere in the world.
“This is the main agenda we are selling to all APC stakeholders, including governors, in order that the party may outlive all of us.
“We are asking for a new generation chairman because those who have shown interest so far are old and cannot offer anything new to the party.
“Some of these aspirants have started having problems because APC leaders from their states are against their ambition.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “As I speak with you, we have 12 governors behind our demand for a young leader for our great party.
“We will not operate covertly. We will soon address the press to enable APC members know where we stand.
“We are consulting on a fast note and our idea is that we don’t want those who wielded executive powers in the past. We want a national chairman with an unblemished record.”
It was also gathered that the coalition may resist imposition of a new national chairman on the party.
The source said: “We are already encouraging members to come out for registration in order to press for change in the party.
“This coalition will not allow imposition of party leaders as being planned by some governors and a few stakeholders. We have had enough of that.
“We are happy that about 12 governors are backing this agenda. We are trying to get President Muhammadu Buhari to buy into this project for fresh hands and new thinking in APC.”
January 24, 2021
Funtua’s death, loss to Nigeria, business community, patriots – APC governors
The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has described the death of the founder of the defunct Democrat Newspapers, Malam Isa Funtua, as a loss to Nigeria and business community.
PGF Chairman, Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi, who said this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, also extended condolences to President Muhammadu Buhari, people and government of Katsina State.
“We received the death of Malam Isa Funtua with heavy heart and gratitude to Allah for a life well blessed.
“We, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), join the family, President Muhammadu Buhari, people and government of Katsina State and the nation to pray for the repose of the soul of our dear and beloved Malam Isa Funtua,” Bagudu said.(NAN)
July 22, 2020
Edo Poll: APC Governors arrive National Secretariat
Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have arrived the party’s National Secretariat to hold talks with the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee to broker truce between Oshiomhole and his political godson and Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.
Governors already at the National Executive Committee meeting hall are governors of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu; Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Plateau, Simon Lalong; Kano, Umar Ganduje; Kwara, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq and Gombe, Muhammed Inuwa.
Details later…
June 1, 2020