Chairmanship aspirants in Saturday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention met in Abuja on Thursday.
VANTAGE NEWS learnt that the chairmanship aspirants held long meetings in Abuja and is expected to issue a joint statement to express their grievances over Buhari’s decision to impose Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
One of the aspirants who spoke to The Punch said, “We met with the President on Wednesday night and he made it clear that he wanted all those vying for offices to emerge through consensus. In essence, he wants the entire convention to be a mere formality for affirmation. He wants Senator Adamu as the next chairman.
“The President also promised to return the money spent to procure the N20m form. So, we are currently holding meetings and we will issue a joint statement.
“Sincerely, none of us is happy about this. If they knew this was what they were going to do from the start, they should have said so. At least we wouldn’t have wasted money on adverts, mobilisation, logistics and transporting supporters to Abuja from our states. This is disappointing for a party that calls itself progressive.”
Sunny Moniedafe, a deputy national chairmanship aspirant who also spoke to the national daily, said he would not be stepping down, adding that everything would be settled on the field of contest.
Moniedafe said, “I have spent over N300m over the last 20 months. I visited Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa and Borno states several times. It is not just about buying form. How can the APC stand before the world and canvass votes from Christians when all top positions for the North are being given to Muslims? Muslim chairman, Muslim deputy national chairman (North), Muslim organising secretary and I hear the vice-chairman, North-East zone, will go to a Muslim too.
“I’m not playing religious politics, but Nigeria is a diverse country. Let us take all these into consideration. I don’t agree with what they are doing and I hope they have a rethink. I am an Urhobo man but from the North.”
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