APC National Convention: Saliu Mustapha Reveals How Yahaya Bello Reacted to His Ambition
- Saliu Mustapha has addressed concerns in some quarters over his chairmanship ambition in the APC
- Some APC members from the north-central have been angling for the region to produce the next president of Nigeria in 2023
- The north-central APC stalwarts believe that if the region produces the party chairman, it will lose out in 2023
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FCT, Abuja - All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirant, Saliu Mustapha, has revealed how Governor Yahaya Bello reacted to his ambition.
Before now, there were hints that Bello was not comfortable with Mustapha's ambition because the Kogi governor was eyeing the presidency in 2023.
Source: Twitter
There are insinuations within the APC that any region that clinches the chairmanship position will not be eligible for the 2023 presidency hence the rumoured tension between Mustapha and Governor Bello.
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune newspaper, the Kwara-born politician addressed the speculation that two governors from the north-central region are not comfortable with having him as the APC national chairman against the backdrop of their presidential ambition.
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He said:
“This is politics and in most cases, everybody is in it for a certain belief or interest. I will not say because I am from north-entral, I expect everybody’s interest to align with mine but I will wish that we are all on the same page and we can all work together.
“I have virtually spoken to everybody and I have consulted with them to buy into the project. I haven’t been given any negative or bad feelers and I have made sure it is not because I am running that I want other people to drop their aspirations.
“Of course, I met his Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello and I spoke to him on supporting, endorsing, and also seeing my project as his own.
“So, I spoke to him and he was very okay with it. Of course, he has his own aspiration and I wish him well too. When he escorted me, he said, may God give us the best. For me, nothing is more than that and I believe positively in my engagement with him.”
APC may adopt consensus option in electing new national chairman
Meanwhile, there are speculations that the APC may adopt the consensus option in selecting a new national chairperson.
A report by Premium Times newspaper indicates that President Muhammadu Buhari favours the option ahead of the party's national convention.
APC forum to Buhari: Anoint credible chairmanship aspirant from north-central
In a related development, a group known as the Concerned APC Members Forum has written a letter asking President Buhari to anoint a credible national chairmanship aspirant ahead of the APC national convention.
The group asked the president to choose among those aspiring from the north-central ahead of the convention.
In a letter dated Friday, February 11, and addressed to the president, the forum also advised Buhari to look into the records of the various individuals aspiring to lead the party.
Group says rescheduled national convention will deepen democracy within APC
On its part, a group operating under the aegis of Concerned Northern APC Youth Forum has insisted on equity and fairness as means of strengthening the party for its acceptability in the 2023 general elections.
Speaking at a press conference attended by a Legit.ng reporter on Tuesday, February 22 in Abuja, chairman of the group, Hon. Suleiman Liba said it was important for the APC to strictly allow internal democracy to minimize those issues that may put the party at risk.
The group also stated that the rescheduled national convention was an opportunity to allow APC members to play roles that would deepen democracy in the country.
Source: Legit.ng
