APC Convention: Governors, Senators Clash Over Chairman, Youth Leader

Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC), national convention, some governors and other key power brokers in the party are at war over who to back for the post of national chairman and national youth leader. 

It was gathered that many of the 23 governors elected on the platform of the party are reportedly resolute on their opposition to the aspiration of a former governor from Nasarawa State. 

A couple of the state chief executives are also said to be against the bid by another governor for the position because of perceived closeness to a presidential aspirant of the party. 
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However, a preponderance of the governors is said to favour the ambition of a serving senator from the North-Central for the position of national chairman. 

The race for the post of national youth leader is equally generating ripples among the governors and other party stakeholders. 

One of the governors from the South-West is being accused of attempting to impose a close ally holding a strategic position in an agency belonging to the state government. 

The contestants for the post of national youth leader include Ibrahim Alli-Balogun, Segun Dada and Rinshola Abiola, the daughter of the late Chief MKO Abiola.

Senators divided over Adamu, Musa, Al-Makura for party chairman.
The election of national chairman of the APC to be won and lost on Saturday is also already causing ripples at the National Assembly, Nigerian Tribune gathered. 

Investigation revealed that three of the federal lawmakers in the Red Chamber are making frantic efforts to secure the blessings of their colleagues. 

Three of the aspirants from the North Central, the geo-political zone where the APC zoned its national chairman, are members of the Ninth National Assembly. 

The list includes Senator representing Niger East, Sani Musa; former Nasarawa state governor and sena- tor representing Nasarawa West, Abdullahi Adamu and another former governor of Nasarawa and senator representing Nasarawa South, Tanko Al-Makura. 
Investigation revealed that majority of the lawmakers once gave open endorsement to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Productivity, Senator Abdullahi Adamu believed to be the anointed candidate of President Muhammadu Buhari. Before Adamu’s sudden entry into the race, the lawmakers were divided between Senator Musa and Al-Makura. 

One of the senators, who spoke with Nigerian Tribune in confidence, said the lawmakers were influenced to review their position on the aspirant to adopt based on feelers that some governors in the APC had paid private visits to Adamu. “No one wants to be left behind since the governors are already seen to be openly fraternising with him,“ he said.