APC chairmanship: Security agencies compile security report on aspirants

SECURITY agencies are currently profiling all the 11 men aspiring to the position of national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at its forthcoming national convention, The Nation gathered yesterday.

The convention may be held on Friday, February 25 in Abuja, according to party sources.

Governors elected on the platform of the party are to meet in Abuja today to take a decision on the convention.

The security report may guide President Muhammadu Buhari and party leaders on building consensus on who, among the aspirants, is best suited for the office.

There were strong indications yesterday that aspirants with corruption cases might not enjoy the backing of Buhari and party leaders.

The caucus of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the APC is said to be pushing hard for the chairmanship slot.

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Both the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) which were partners in the merger that formed APC, have between them produced three national chairmen of the party.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which also was one of the merger parties, has joined the race for the chairmanship.

Some of those who have signified interest in leading the APC include ex-Governor Abdulaziz Yari;  Mallam Saliu Mustapha (Turaki Ilorin); ex-Governor Umar Tanko Al-Makura;  Senator Sani Mohammed Musa; and ex-Governor  Ali Modu Sheriff.

Others are Sunny Sylvester Monidafe; Mohammed Estu; ex-Governor George Akume; ex- Governor Danjuma Goje; ex-Governor Isa Yuguda and Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi.

According to investigation by our correspondent, some security and intelligence agencies were involved in “extrapolating information on the antecedents, traits and tendencies of the aspirants.”

It was learnt that most of the aspirants are aware that the secret agencies were sniffing on them.

There were speculations that some of the aspirants have had informal interactions with some of the agencies for what a reliable security source described as a “psyche” session.