Niger Gov, Bello, denies receiving handover letter from Buni

Acting chairman of the Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State, has denied reports that he had received a handover letter from the embattled Chairman of the Committee and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni.

The purported letter, allegedly written by Buni transferring power to Bello, dated February 28th, 2022, and titled “Transmission of the office of National Chairman, CECPC,” had read:

“This is to please inform you that I will be embarking on a medical trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from today, 28th February 2022. I will resume office upon my discharge from the hospital.

“In my absence, I hereby transmit the functions of my office as the National Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) to you.

“This is to enable the Committee to conclude all arrangements reading to the National Convention slated for March 26th, 2022 and other duties that may be required of the office.

“I invite all members to cooperate with Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, by extending to him all the support that I have enjoyed from you. Please do accept, the assurances of my best regards.”

However, Bello has denied being in receipt of the letter nor the transfer of authority of the party to him by Buni.

Read also: New twist as INEC rejects Bello’s letter, says it only knows Buni as APC chairman

Speaking after a meeting of the CECPC at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, Bello denied seeing such a letter from Buni transferring power of the office of the National Chairman of the party to him.

When asked about the letter, Bello bluntly denied seeing it.

“The letter? I haven’t seen it. Did you say on social media? I have not seen it “I haven’t seen it,” the Niger governor said repeatedly.

Also commenting on the rumoured appointment of a new Secretary for the CECPC to replace Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, Bello dismissed the report, insisting that the issue of a new Secretary had not been discussed at the meeting.

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