Politics

Buhari Endorses Abdullahi Adamu As APC Chairman

Published

4 years ago

February 24, 2022

Ahead of the March 26 National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed Abdullahi Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State as the chairman of the ruling party, credible sources told Daily Trust.

The sources, including governors and former governors, said the president endorsed Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who chaired the reconciliation committee of the party, during his meeting with APC governors at the State House on Tuesday.

With this arrangement, Sen. Adamu will take over from Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni who has been piloting the affairs of the party for almost two years.

Buni and other members of the caretaker committee of the party had come under unrelenting attacks from different quarters for shifting the national convention of the party severally.

However, sources said while personal ambition by some party members could not be ruled out, the Buni-led committee had been waiting to get the green light on the direction President Buhari and other powerful forces around the villa would want the party to take.

Daily Trust had on February 18, exclusively reported that the body language of the president favoured Adamu, a two-term governor of Nasarawa State, who has been at the Senate since 2011.

Unlike other aspirants, Adamu joined the chairmanship race only last week.

With the endorsement, our correspondents were told that the national convention would only ratify the endorsement as done in June 2018 when Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, emerged as the party’s national chairman.

Oshiomhole emerged as the party’s national chairman on June 23, 2018, following voice votes by delegates to the APC national convention.

One of the sources said at the Tuesday meeting, Buhari told the governors that the party chairmanship position should be zoned to the North Central geopolitical zone.

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Efforts to hear from the spokesmen of the president last night were not successful. Senator Adamu could also not be reached but some sources close to both the president 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,” the governor said.

He said with presidential endorsement, all other aspirants vying for the chairmanship seat were expected to withdraw from the race.

“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.

The source, however, punctured the claims that the president had endorsed a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and Faruk Adamu Aliyu as deputy national chairmen South and North, respectively.

The claim was countered by a ranking lawmaker, who said the trio of Nnamani, Aliyu and Senator John James Akpanudoedehe have been endorsed as deputy national chairmen and secretary respectively.

An insider said, “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 said.

Recall that while fielding questions from State House reporters after their meeting with Buhari, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State disclosed that positions have been zoned and admitted that the governors initially had some differences.

The governor of Kebbi State and chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Atiku Bagudu, who led the post-meeting briefing, while reacting to the question earlier, said the president enjoined them to employ consensus option to fill the vacant NWC positions.

Some aspirants kick

A former governor of Benue State and current Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, who is one of the top contenders to the APC chairmanship, has said if any consensus was reached, or is to be reached, he is the one to be chosen.

Akume, who spoke through the chairman, Contact Committee and Media Group for his campaign team, Chief Simon Shango, said,” if any consensus was reached, it is his Excellency Senator George Akume.”

Another top contender from Kwara State, Saliu Mustapha, the Turaki Ilorin, told Daily Trust that no one had been anointed, saying he remained the candidate to beat.

Mustapha, who spoke through Dapo Okubanjo, the media aide/head of media for his campaign organisation, said, “We believe our candidate, Malam Saliu Mustapha, remains the candidate to beat even if you consider what President Buhari said recently on the type of candidates he is willing to back for positions at the forthcoming national convention.

“Aside from his youthfulness and background in party administration, he is a core party man and a founding APC member who has never deviated from the path of progressivism and has absolutely no political baggage.

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“What we learnt is that no one was anointed during PMB’s meeting with the governors regardless of the kite flown by certain interests.

“So we have to make it clear that the Saliu Mustapha Campaign Organisation does not dwell on rumour or innuendos,” he said.

But another contestant from Adamawa State, Sunny Sylvester Moniedafe, told Daily Trust in a telephone chat that for consensus to be successful, the party should call all aspirants to a meeting and brief them.

Moniedafe, the Jagaban Jimeta said, “Honestly, I have nothing against consensus, and if one of the aspirants emerges, I will have nothing against him. I will abide by the decision of the party; I will remain in the party but I know some may not.”

Adamu’s four decades in politics

Born in 1946, Adamu was the Secretary-General of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in old Plateau State in 1978. Four years later, he became chairman of the NPN in the state (1982 to 1983).

In 1997, Adamu joined the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) and a year later became a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He was a two-term governor of Nasarawa State between 1999 and 2007; and became Secretary, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the PDP in 2009.

Adamu was a member of the new PDP that fused into the ruling APC and since 2011, he has been at the Senate, representing Nasarawa West.

Daily Trust

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Obidients Movement Escalates Pressure on INEC, Demands Joash Amupitan Step Down

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10 hours ago

April 2, 2026

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Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chairman Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan

Obidients Movement Escalates Pressure on INEC, Demands Joash Amupitan Step Down

The Obidients Movement has announced plans for a nationwide protest, tagged #OccupyINEC, demanding the resignation of INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan over the commission’s handling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leadership crisis.

The movement claims that recent INEC actions threaten Nigeria’s democracy and compromise the neutrality of key institutions. In a statement released Wednesday, Obidients warned that inaction at this critical moment amounts to complicity.

“There are moments in the life of a nation when silence becomes dangerous and inaction becomes complicity. Nigeria has arrived at such a moment,” the group said.

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The Obidients Movement accused INEC of bias and political interference in opposition party leadership disputes. They cited gross abuse of office, loss of public trust, and failure to uphold neutrality, arguing that these actions undermine the credibility of the electoral process. The group also demanded full respect for party autonomy, an immediate end to political persecution, and protection of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.

The nationwide protests will take place across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In Abuja, demonstrators are set to assemble at the ADC National Headquarters before marching to the INEC Secretariat in Maitama. Organizers emphasized that the protest will be peaceful and lawful, noting it is a civic duty to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy, not an expression of anger.

“We will remain peaceful, we will remain lawful, but we will not stand by while our democracy is weakened,” the statement said.

Authorities have reportedly deployed heavy security at INEC headquarters ahead of the protest to maintain order and prevent clashes. The Obidients Movement’s action comes amid rising concerns over electoral integrity, opposition suppression, and the future of Nigeria’s multi-party system.

Obidients Movement Escalates Pressure on INEC, Demands Joash Amupitan Step Down

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Timi Frank: INEC Actions Threaten Democracy, Calls on Trump to Support Nigeria

Published

13 hours ago

April 2, 2026

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Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank

Timi Frank: INEC Actions Threaten Democracy, Calls on Trump to Support Nigeria

A former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has raised serious concerns over what he describes as growing threats to Nigeria’s democracy, calling for urgent action from both domestic institutions and the international community, including the United States.

Frank made the remarks on Thursday in response to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decision to suspend recognition of the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following a long-standing internal dispute. The commission said it would await the outcome of a pending Federal High Court suit in Abuja before determining which faction to officially recognise.

According to Frank, INEC’s action is part of a wider pattern that threatens fair political competition ahead of the 2027 general elections. He warned that the challenges facing opposition parties are not isolated incidents but a coordinated effort to weaken alternative political structures in Nigeria. He noted that major parties including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have faced similar internal crises, and now the ADC is being affected.

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Frank further expressed concern over the judiciary, alleging that some court decisions are being used to frustrate political parties and derail democratic processes. He said the pattern of judicial interference is reminiscent of tactics employed during the era of former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, when democratic institutions were widely suppressed.

He also criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, claiming that recent government actions point to authoritarian tendencies. Frank suggested that attempts to retain power at all costs could have serious consequences for the country’s democratic governance and warned that Nigeria risks sliding into instability if urgent measures are not taken.

“Nigeria is about to head into anarchy and a crisis that might be difficult to curtail,” Frank said, urging Nigerians and political institutions to defend democratic institutions before it is too late. He called on groups including the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), and traditional rulers to act decisively.

Frank also appealed to the international community to monitor developments closely. He specifically called on the President of the United States, Donald Trump, to encourage and support the preservation of democratic values in Nigeria, stressing the strategic importance of global engagement in safeguarding free elections.

Meanwhile, the ADC rejected INEC’s interpretation of the Court of Appeal ruling, insisting that the commission acted under pressure from the federal government and did not reflect the party’s actual leadership. The party confirmed that consultations are ongoing to determine the next steps and reaffirmed that over 40,000 Nigerians have joined the party recently, signaling sustained grassroots support.

Analysts say the ongoing ADC leadership crisis underscores broader tensions in Nigeria’s political landscape and highlights the challenges opposition parties face in maintaining cohesion and credibility. The dispute could have significant implications for political realignments and electoral dynamics ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Politics

ADC Defies INEC, Moves Ahead with Congresses, Convention

Published

17 hours ago

April 2, 2026

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ADC Defies INEC, Moves Ahead with Congresses, Convention

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that it will proceed with its planned congresses and national convention, notwithstanding uncertainties surrounding its recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made this known on Thursday during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show, amid an ongoing leadership dispute within the party.

Abdullahi disclosed that the ADC had duly notified Independent National Electoral Commission of its scheduled activities, in compliance with the statutory requirement of issuing a 21-day notice. He added that the commission acknowledged receipt of the notice.

Despite INEC’s stance on the party’s leadership crisis, Abdullahi maintained that the ADC would not suspend its internal processes, stressing its resolve to conduct its congresses and national convention as planned.

“We will go ahead with our congresses. We have given INEC 21 days’ notice, and they have accepted the notice. Whether they come or not, we will continue with our congresses and our convention,” he said.

The ADC spokesman also raised concerns over what he described as increasing threats to Nigeria’s democratic process, warning against alleged moves to stifle political competition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He argued that recent developments suggest attempts to limit voters’ choices, drawing parallels with past experiences in the country’s political history.

“If we were in a military regime, one could understand. But we are seeing a situation where everything is being done to make the 2027 election a fait accompli, leaving Nigerians with little or no choice,” Abdullahi stated.

The controversy follows INEC’s decision to remove the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, from its official portal.

The electoral body had also indicated that it would not recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to be declared national chairman through judicial means.

Amid the uncertainty, Abdullahi reiterated the party’s commitment to sustaining its internal democratic processes, warning that Nigeria’s democracy must be protected from actions capable of undermining political plurality.