24th August, 2023
By Richard Elesho
The Kogi Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Abdullahi Ganduje led National Working Committee, NWC of the party are at daggers drawn over the filling of vacant posts in the party.
This followed news of the appointment of a former lawmaker, Duro Meseko as Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Ikani Shuaibu Okolo as Zonal Organising Secretary of the party by the APC NWC on Wednesday.
The two positions are zoned to the Kogi chapter of the party.
But the Kogi chapter of APC promptly rejected the new appointees on the grounds that its input was not sought before their appointments were made.
Kogi State APC Chairman, Abdullahi Bello, in lengthy petition to the NWC of the party demanded immediate reversal of the appointments.
In the letter, Bello noted that the NWC had turned down the people it nominated for the vacant posts in favour of people he accused of dropping the President’s name and influence.
His letter reads in part: “Consequent upon the resignation of the two officers from the party, the Kogi State All Progressives Congress under the leadership of the Governor, His Excellency Alh. Yahaya Bello, CON , met to ratify and forward names of replacements for the national and zonal officers that left the party.
‘The State Chapter ratified Hon. Yahaya Ade Ismail as the new Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Hon. Isiaka Musa as the Zonal Organising Secretary for North Central. And in line with the provisions of our constitution, communicated the ratified replacements to the National Working Committee, through the North Central Zonal Chairman of the Party.
“To our dismay, the National Working Committee came up with strange names which didn’t pass through the State Chapter nor the North Central Zone of the party and purportedly went ahead to ratify them, citing “Presidency interest” as the rationale for their action. We strongly reject the action as we will not be parties to the blatant and flagrant violation of our party’s constitution.
“Our belief in Mr President as a man who respects the Constitution of our party and a man who believes in due process is unshaken in the face of the current confusion foisted on the party by people dropping the name of the President to achieve their selfish aims.
“We call on the National Working Committee of the Party to reverse the unconstitutional replacements done on our behalf without our ratification or approval, and revert to our ratified list as they occupy those offices on behalf of the State Chapter of our party. We have delivered Kogi State to the APC and the least we will expect is for the party hierarchy to continue to support us to achieve greater heights.
“The Kogi State Chapter of the APC therefore rejects the decision of the National Working Committee in its entirety and urge it to follow the constitution of our party and the due process our party is known for. We are confident that the interest of the party is for Kogi State to remain a stronghold of the APC, especially now that we march towards November 11 to retain the state.
The National Secretary of the party, Ajibola Basiru, had on Wednesday evening told journalists that the decision of the appointees to fill the vacant positions were taken at the NWC meeting.
As he announced, former National Deputy Chairman for North, Abubakar Kyari, was replaced by Borno party chairman, Ali Dalori; while the outgoing National Women Leader, Betta Edu, was replaced by Mary Alile Idele, from Edo State.
See all the new officers as announced by the the APC National Secretary:
1. Deputy National Chairman, North (North East Zone) – Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori (Borno State)
2. National Vice Chairman, North West (North West Zone) – Hon. Garba Datti Muhammad (Kaduna State)
3. National Legal Adviser (North Central Zone) – Prof. Abdul Karim Abubakar Kana (Nasarawa State)
4. National Welfare Secretary (South East Zone) – Hon. Donatus Nwankpa (Abia State)
5. National Women Leader (South South Zone) – Mary Alile Idele, PhD (Edo State)
6. Deputy National Publicity Secretary (North Central Zone) – Duro Meseko (Kogi State)
7. Zonal Organising Secretary (North Central Zone) – Ikani Shuaibu Okolo (Kogi State)