Adamu Never Said Akpabio and Abbas Were On Their Own – PGF

The Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF)  has risen in defence of the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Adamu concerning the conflict surrounding presiding leaders of the National Assembly.

According to the forum, Adamu never said the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas were on their own concerning the announcement of principal officers for the National Assembly.

Naija News recounts that Akpabio and Abbass on Tuesday announced the names of principal leaders of the NASS, a development that didn’t sit well with the APC national chairman.

Akpabio had named Ekiti Central lawmaker, Opeyemi Bamidele, as the 10th Senate Majority Leader, Senator Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South) as Deputy Majority Leader, Ali Ndume (Borno South) as Chief Whip, and Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) as the Deputy Whip.

However, Adamu told a meeting of the National Working Committee ( NWC) members and APC governors that the ruling party was not involved in the emergence of the officers.

The APC national chairman said “The national headquarters of the party of the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices. Until we formally resolve and communicate with them in writing which is the norm and practice, it is not our intention to break away from traditions.

“So, whatever announcement is done by either the President of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker, is not from this secretariat.”

But the governors believed Adamu’s action was a result of a communication gap between the party and the party’s high-ranking legislators.

Speaking with pressmen after they met with the NWC, the PGF Chairman and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, said the PGF will resolve the conflict with the aid of the APC internal mechanism.

He submitted that “Don’t let us misquote him. The chairman never said that they (Akpabio and Abbas) are on their own. The National Assembly leadership belongs to our great party and they enjoy our support.

“If there is a communication gap anywhere, we will make it up. We have our internal mechanism for resolving such things. The National Assembly leadership enjoys the support of the Progressives Governors Forum and our party. We don’t have any problem at all.

“We congratulated ourselves in the way and manner the leadership of the National Assembly election was conducted. We now have a Senate President, his Deputy Senate President, Speaker and his deputy who we are very confident will do well.”