The National Chairman All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu was reportedly asked to resign his position on Sunday after a prolonged cold war with President Bola Tinubu.
In the buildup to the party presidential primary last year, Adamu had announced the then Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan as the preferred choice of the sitting President Muhammadu Buhari. But the governors of the party in the north immediately countered that and pronounced Tinubu their candidate.
Lawan, a latecomer to the race, lost the primary, coming last with 38 votes against Tinubu’s 371.
Recently, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass named leaders in their respective chamber only for Adamu to counter the presiding officers, who apparently got the support of President Tinubu.
The APC national chairman was said to have been advised to throw in the towel by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, who is also chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, made up of APC governor.
It is also reported that the National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore has also been asked to resign his position.
Party sources told TheCable that Adamu and Omisore were to face a vote of no confidence by National Working Committee (NWC) members on Monday afternoon following which they would be sacked by the National Executive Committee (NEC), chaired by President Tinubu, on Wednesday.
Adamu, former governor of Nasarawa State, was elected the party’s national chairman in March 2022 to substantively replace former Edo State governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
The “final straw” of the cold war between Adamu and President Tinubu, according to insiders, was former’s failure to account for the N32 billion raised by the party from the sale of forms for the 2023 general election.
“Only N7 billion is left in the account as we speak”, an NWC member told TheCable.
“Adamu and Omisore claimed the account has been audited, but we are not aware of when the auditors were appointed. How can NWC not be aware of the appointment? It is part of our responsibilities to appoint auditors”.
Sensing the move to remove him, Adamu had reportedly sought the support of the chairmen of the state chapters of the party but received a cold shoulder.
“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”, another party insider said.
Before the N32 billion question became a bone of contention, Adamu’s exit appeared imminent.
While Tinubu supported Senator Tanko Al Makura, also a former governor of Nasarawa State, for the position of national chairman, party leaders loyal to then President Buhari rooted for Adamu.
This was thought to be the first move to stop Tinubu from winning the party’s presidential ticket.
Ahead of the APC presidential primary in June 2022, Tinubu complained bitterly that he was being betrayed despite the fact that a gentleman’s agreement was sealed in 2015 for him to succeed Buhari.
His outburst, popularly known as emi l’okan (it’s my turn), enraged Adamu who threatened that the party would “discipline” him.
Tinubu would go on to lose the presidential election in Nasarawa State, where Adamu was governor from 1999 to 2007.
“It was inevitable that Adamu would bite the dust”, the NWC member told TheCable.
“When the 10th National Assembly was about to be inaugurated, it was the APC leadership that was supposed to work behind the scene for the leadership election. Adamu and Omisore were aloof. In fact, it was a known fact that Adamu was supporting Abdulaziz Yari.
“As if that was not enough, when the committee positions were announced, Adamu openly dissociated himself from the list. He had it coming”.
TheCable understands that when the issue of the N32 billion was presented to President Tinubu, he gave the go-ahead for the party to remove him “legally”.
Uzodinma approached Adamu on Sunday and asked him to do the “needful” but he was unable to reach Omisore.
Credit: TheCable
