APC’s NEC Currently Meeting In Abuja; Ganduje, Leadership Crisis Dominate Agenda

By Babatunde Solanke

Today in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting  of the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC) will deliberate on the perennial crisis rocking the party and the nomination of former Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje and Spokesperson for the ninth Senate, Senator Ajibola Basiru, Punch Online reports

Aside from President Bola Tinubu, other heavyweight APC chieftains expected are former President Muhammadu Buhari; Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC governors, former Senate president, Ahmad Lawan and ex-Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and members of the National Working Committee.

The NEC meeting is currently being held at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton in Abuja

But as of Wednesday night, there are indications that the presence of the president and the party bigwigs may attract a heavy retinue of security agents and convoys.

Efforts to get the reaction of the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka, proved abortive.

But the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, believed the party leadership is keenly looking forward to the NEC meeting.

Ibrahim declined to speak elaborately on how the NEC plans to ratify the choice of Ganduje and Basiru.

He said, “Ganduje is a bonafide member of the APC and he is eligible to contest for the chairmanship of the party, So is Basiru. They are all members of the party who have the legitimate rights to aspire to various political positions that they want to.

“It is however the party and the NEC that will decide whether they are the only candidates for these offices or there are other others. And if there are other interested candidates, every issue will be look at on its merit and the party will take a decision that it deems fit.”

Earlier, a reliable source at the presidency had told our correspondent that the NEC meeting will serve as an avenue to discuss the lingering crisis rocking the party leadership and possibly okay the nomination of Ganduje and Basiru as national chairman and secretary respectively.

“The agenda is out. But there is nothing basic in it. We are only going to be looking at how to set up some of those committees and organs that Lukman raised before he resigned. And, of course, some shenanigans will be put up to officially announce the new acting chairman and secretary

“It is just to announce that these people are now in charge, We were told that the NEC can work in place of a convention. They are the ultimate decision maker. If they confirm them (Ganduje), there may be no need for any convention again. But regarding the other vacant positions of welfare officer, deputy national publicity secretary, and Vice Chairman for North-West left by Lukman, it is hoped that they will give the NWC the power to fill them. That way, they will avoid budgeting again for another mini-convention,” he said.

Source: Punch online