THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has confirmed the resignation of Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore as the party’s national chairman and national secretary, respectively.
This was confirmed at a meeting chaired by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Abubakar Kyari, on Monday, July 17.
Kyari also confirmed his appointment as acting national chairman while Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, takes over as acting national secretary of the party.
He also announced the postponement of the National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings that were earlier scheduled to hold on Tuesday, July 18, and Wednesday, July 19.
“With this development and according to the APC constitution, it is now incumbent on my humble self as the deputy chairman (North) to assume the office as the acting national chairman of the APC. And subsequently, also, the Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, will now assume the office of acting National Secretary,” he said.
“With the recent development with the change of leadership, we would like to inform everybody here that the proposed National Caucus meeting slated for 18 July 2023 and the National Executive Council for 19 July 2023 are hereby postponed. This postponement would not be indefinitely, but a new date would be communicated.”
Although he said Adamu and Omisore resigned voluntarily, several reports have cited reasons for Adamu’s resignation, including misappropriation of funds and a cold war between him and President Bola Tinubu, who chairs the party’s National Executive Council (NEC).
TheCable reported that a vote of no confidence was expected to be passed against Adamu and the party’s Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, by NWC members today, Monday, July 17.
There are also reports that Adamu and Omisore would be sacked by the Tinubu-led NEC at a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 19. The reported mismanagement of the N32 billion raised from the sale of forms for the 2023 general election was cited as one of the reasons for Adamu’s troubles.
According to TheCable, only N7 billion remains in the party’s account, raising concerns about the alleged misappropriation of funds. Additionally, the newspaper reported that the zonal, state, and ward levels of the party were not aware of the proceeds from the form sales, which were supposed to be shared among them.
It was also gathered Adamu’s bid to seek refuge with the party’s state chairmen failed.
“By the APC constitution, the proceeds were supposed to be shared with the zonal, state and ward levels of the party, and they were not in the know. So there was no way they were going to support him,” a party source was quoted as saying.
Adamu was said to have been advised by the Chairman of the APC Governors Forum, Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, to resign following the development.
Adamu reportedly submitted his resignation to the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Sunday night.
The former Nasarawa governor in March 2022 emerged APC chairman by consensus following his endorsement by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Before the presidential primaries of the APC, he declared former Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the consensus candidate of the party, a move seen as a bid to stop Tinubu, the eventual winner of the primary election.
Adamu’s squabble with Tinubu did not stop after the swearing in of the later as president. He recently opposed the list of the principal officers of the party announced by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, as endorsed by Tinubu.
You can reach out to me on Twitter via: vincent_ufuoma