Despite intense protest, the ruling Progressives Congress, (APC) on Friday night sworn-in the newly elected executive members to fill vacant National Working Committee (NWC) and zonal positions.
Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello had on Thursday took protest to the residence of the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje to press home his demand for the immediate resignation of the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary-designate, Duro Meseko.
Bello and his entourage left the APC national secretariat for the home of the national chairman at about 6.15pm after the planned inauguration of the National Working Committee zonal officers was abandoned.
Before his arrival, former Senator for the Cross River South Senatorial District of Cross River State, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, who was earlier spotted at the party secretariat had led another protest delegation to Ganduje’s residence.
However, Ganduje during the swearing in occasion which held around 8pm yesterday at the party’s national secretariat said he is doing is in agreement with the philosophy of the party, of national conference.
“All of you are competent and you are nominated and elected with the support of all the relevant stakeholders of the party. So, we congratulate you. Members of the public, we thank you for coming. We thank you for showing solidarity and being happy with what is happening today.
Specifically addressing the contentious positions, he added: “From Kogi state, we have Ismail Ade Yahaya, we have taken note and he will be engaged one way or the other. We have Ekani Shaibu from Kogi state, he too will be engaged appropriately within our government. Mrs Obinna from Abia will be accommodated. Hon Dr Stella Expo from Cross River, she and two others according to our dialogue will be accommodated in our government.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have achieved complete dialogue and deepen and widen dialogue in our party.
This has become our culture as a party. We are not dictators. We have to dialogue and discuss. This does not mean everyone must agree. but even those who don’t agree we take steps even to the extent of ensuring that we make sure their views are accommodated”.
It was learnt that that Bello submitted the name of one of his aides Ismail Ade Yahaya but a section of the party in Kogi state loyal to James Faleke got the party’s nod.
Other protesters from Cross River and Abia state equally registered their displeasure on the decision to move the national women leader and national welfare secretary from Cross River and Abia respectively to Edo and Enugu states.
Recall that the former national women leader of the party, Beta Edu resigned after she was appointed as the minister for humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation while the former national welfare secretary, Friday Nwosu died after a brief illness.
TheNewsGuru.com reported that APC National Working Committee (NWC) on Wednesday, August 24, announced the names of officers to fill vacant NWC and zonal positions of the Party.
The announcement was made by the Party’s National Secretary, Sen. Ajibola Basiru during a media briefing on the outcome of the NWC meeting held at the APC National Secretariat.
Those swore-in are: Deputy National Chairman, North (North East Zone) – Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori (Borno State)
National Vice Chairman, North West (North West Zone) – Hon. Garba Datti Muhammad, (Kaduna State).
National Legal Adviser (North Central Zone) – Prof. Abdul Karim Abubakar Kana, (Nasarawa State).
National Welfare Secretary (South East Zone) – Hon. Donatus Nwankpa, (Abia State).
National Women Leader (South South Zone) – Mary Alile Idele, PhD (Edo State).
Deputy National Publicity Secretary (North Central Zone) – Duro Meseko, (Kogi State).
Zonal Organising Secretary (North Central Zone) – Ikani Shuaibu Okolo, (Kogi State).