— As Delegates Arrive Abuja

By Sam Egburonu, Editor

Since President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly told state governors elected on the ticket of All Progressive Congress (APC) of his choice of the next National Chairman of the party yesterday, the intrigues over APC leadership, ahead of 2023 elections, have heightened.

NewsOrient learnt this morning that after the meeting with Buhari and the joint assurances the governors allegedly gave him, some APC governors, who later met with other powerful stakeholders last night and today, are now under a dilemma as to what their stand would be tomorrow.

Already, preparations are on top gear for the ruling party’s Convention billed for Eagles Square, tomorrow, Saturday, March 26, 2023.

It is on record that intrigues surrounding the leadership of APC, and the issue of who would supervise this year’s Convention of the ruling party before the 2023 General Elections have been subjects of hi- wired politics.

According to some reports, Buhari, in a meeting held at the Presidential Villa with 16 APC governors clearly expressed preference for a former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, as the party’s next National Chairman.

It would be recalled that before now, at least, seven chairmanship aspirants were screened by Governor Aminu Masari-led committee.

They include Saliu Mustapha, Sani Musa, Tanko Al-Makura, Abdullahi Adamu, George Akume, Abdulaziz Yari and Mohammed Etsu.

There were also wide speculation that Mr President’s choice of who would eventually emerge the ruling party’s National Chairman tomorrow will, to a large extent, determine the Presidential Candidate the party will finally present for the 2023 Elections.

Some analysts even alleged that Buhari’s “choice’ may have been calculated to checkmate a particular influential Presidential Aspirant from the Southwest.

It was specifically alleged that the president’s interest in who becomes the party’s National Chairman is meant to protect his interest in who succeeds him in Aso Rock seat of power in Nigeria.

Though this allegation is yet to be proved, insiders told NewsOrient that “it accounts for the heightened tension, intrigues as delegates arrive for the Convention.”

The development had forced geo-political zones and other caucuses to meet for what a source described as “the final agreement on who will occupy which position.”

As the source puts it, “It seems most people are just looking at the issue of who would be National Chairman. As an insider and a delegate, I will tell you that there are many other strategic positions we need to get right.”

In Abuja, where delegates are already arriving for the event, the rumour is that the governors had firmly assured President Buhari of their support for his choice.

The Nation, for example, in an earlier report said that much, when it says:

“Governors will support the consensus arrangement as proposed by President Buhari to fill the APC National Working Committee (NWC) positions.”

The newspaper quoted the Chairman of Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, as saying this “after a meeting of the governors with the President in Abuja yesterday.

“The governors are united. The governors are unanimous in support of Mr. President,” the paper quoted him as saying, adding however that he also said “those who choose to contest the election would not be stopped.”