Intrigues as APC holds National Convention

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is holding its much awaited National Convention at the Eagle Square, Abuja today to pick officials to run the party’s affairs and carry it into the 2023 general elections.

But there seems to be disunity among the party’s ranks over the consensus option regarding elective positions ahead of the event. This is as a number of prominent members have expressed opposing views on the consensus option which is said to have the backing of the president.

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, the party’s Chairman of the National Convention Media and Publicity Sub-committee, on Friday noted that the unity list would soon be publicised.

This was after wide consultations with the party leaders with the governors reportedly against the list.

Sule, during a press conference, said, “From what we have from the regions, the unity list will be ready today (Friday). It will be submitted. If you are talking of consensus, you must have a unity list, because that’s the whole essence of consensus.

“If you’re having consensus, you would have people who have agreed, aspirants who have agreed, stakeholders who have agreed, and the constituency that has agreed, and in that case, that name automatically will be adopted. That’s just the meaning of the unity list.”

Nonetheless, this was at variance with his earlier stance during an interview on Channels Television Politics Today, where he named a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu, as the consensus candidate for the office of the national chairman.

Responding to a question on the adoption of Adamu, Sule said, “Yes, he is our consensus candidate,” adding that the adoption of Adamu had been cleared to lead the party by the President.

He said the unity list would show that “only a single candidate would vie for each of the positions.”

But in a statement on Friday issued by the Director-General, Saliu Mustapha Campaign Organisation, Bala Usman.
one of the aspirants for the National Chairman position, Mustapha, said he was still in the race.

The statement read in part, “Our campaign organisation has received several calls from multitudes of party stakeholders, friends and associates regarding the upcoming convention of our party and the decision of Saliu Mustapha as an aspirant, especially in relation to the unravelling issue of a possible consensus arrangement.

READ ALSO: APC yet to decide on consensus candidate for chairmanship seat – Gov Sule

“Indeed, we recognise consensus as one of APC’s acceptable leadership selection methods, which is completely legal and constitutional. However, we are convinced that for consensus to abide, it must be all-inclusive and devoid of any vestige of imposition.

“This is why Mallam Saliu Mustapha, together with all the other aspirants, would continue to engage to review the options before them and agree on a common and mutually beneficial decision. Until this is done, nothing has been decided yet.”

Reports indicated that the APC Governors were engaged in fierce negotiations over the consensus option at a meeting on Friday which reportedly stretched into the night.

Reports from the Eagle Square venue show that the venue is already filled with supporters of politicians vowing for different positions, within the Ecco and even for elections.

Banners and placards of different types promoting the politicians are strategically placed around the venue, even with supporters carrying some with them around the venue of the event.

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