Buhari Backs Former Governor For APC Chairman As Governors Jostle To Influence Other Positions

President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly endorsed Abdullahi Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State as the chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naija News reports that this is coming after the ruling fixed March 26 for its National Convention.

According to sources, Buhari endorsed Abdullahi Adamu during a Tuesday meeting with APC governors at the Presidential Villa.

It was gathered that the former Nasarawa governor, who joined the chairmanship race last week, will take over from Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni after party delegates ratify is appointment at the convention.

One of the sources told Daily Trust Buhari told the governors that the party chairmanship position should be zoned to the North Central geopolitical zone.

Some sources close to both Buhari and the Nasarawa senator said the deal had been sealed.

“The president, at the brief meeting, told us that the party chairman should come from the North Central and that the person should be Senator Abdullahi Adamu. Nobody disagreed with him,” a governor said.

“I think the nomination is in the best interest of the party because we need a national chairman that can match Ayu, the PDP chairman. From all angles, Senator Adamu has the capacity to tackle him and lead the party to victory,” he said.

Another source, a former governor confirmed the endorsement of the president saying, “He has endorsed Senator Adamu to be adopted by consensus as the next chairman of the APC.”

“Some of the APC governors initially nominated a former governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura; some nominated a former minister for Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bawa Bwari; some wanted the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume and others rooted for Senator Mohammed Sani Musa but the president told them he would like Abdullahi Adamu to become the chairman,” he said.

However, the source dismissed claims that Buhari endorsed a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and Faruk Adamu Aliyu as deputy national chairmen South and North, respectively.

“While most of the over 20 APC governors were comfortable with Buhari’s endorsement of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, some of them quietly suggested that they should be allowed to play key roles in the selection of other important offices like deputy national chairmen for North and South, national secretary, national organising secretary and national legal adviser.

“Some of them who are rounding off their second term would not want the party to slip away from their hands and therefore want their preferred candidates to be chosen. It is all about politics of 2023,” he told the publication.