The Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, is currently presiding over a meeting of the Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The meeting is taking place at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, on Monday, March 07, 2022.
The Governor shared photos on Twitter, showing him seated in what appears to be the position meant for the Chairman of the APC-CECPC, Governor Mai Bala Muni of Yobe State.
“I am currently presiding over the Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC at the National Secretariat of the Party,” Governor Bello captioned the photos.
Bello disclosed that he has been acting chairman while addressing journalists after presiding over a meeting of the APC’s National Caretaker committee at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
When asked if he has taken over APC’s leadership, Bello said: “Acting chairman, I have been acting for a while since the chairman travelled.”
I am currently presiding over the Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC at the National Secretariat of the Party. pic.twitter.com/FBYlvkyWrw
— Abubakar Sani Bello (@abusbello) March 7, 2022
When pushed further, the governor said: “No comment.”
There had been reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had allegedly approved the removal of the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as the Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), of the party.
But the National Secretary of the CECPC, Dr James Akpanudoedehe, debunked the reports saying, Buni remained the Chairman and would oversee the party’s affairs until the election of new members of the National Working Committee (NWC) come March 26, 2022, Convention.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to sponsored media reports on an imaginary leadership change in the APC-CECPC.
“The media report is fake news and should be disregarded.
“The APC is a progressive political party guided by rules. Leadership changes are not announced by ‘sources’ through name dropping in the media.
“We urge our teeming supporters, members and indeed the general public to remain calm and support the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC CECPC conduct a rancour-free and credible National Convention deserving of our great party.”
The Caretaker committee was appointed in June 2020 after the removal of the National Working Committee led by former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
The committee was given the mandate to organise a national convention in December that year but it has not been able to do so nearly two years after prompting allegations that it has a plan to remain in office.
