Hundreds of aggrieved supporters of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) yesterday stormed the national secretariat of the party in Abuja to register their anger of their preferred choices as new members of the national working committee of the party.
The development which led to the deployment of heavily armed policemen to keep the peace at the party secretariat stalled the inauguration of the seven newly selected members of the NWC to fill the party’s vacant seats.
The national chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who was billed to inaugurate the NWC members at 1 pm stayed avoided the party secretariat in an apparent bid to calm frayed nerves.
Among the high-profile protesters were Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state who felt shortchanged in the choice of Hon Duro Meseko as replacement of Mr Muritala Yakubu Ajaka who is the candidate of the opposition social democratic party (SDP) in the Kogi governorship poll.
An ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and House of Representatives member, James Abiodun Faleke is believed to have sponsored the candidacy of Meseko to occupy the seat of the deputy national publicity secretary.
Bello who made an unsuccessful bid to overturn the choice of Meseko , in favour of his candidate, Ismail Yahaya when he met Ganduje at his Abuja residence Wednesday night.
Yesterday, the Kogi state governor, accompanied by scores of state and national Assembly members from Kogi state kept vigil at the party secretariat between 8 a.m to 4 p.m to further push their case.
Sen Florence Ita Giwa who is believed to have led the protesters opposed to the choice of Dr Mary Alile Idele as the women leader also failed to meet with Ganduje over the rejection of Dr Stella Odey-Ekpo from Cross River state.
Sources say that Giwa was of the view that the women leader seat ought to have been filled by Stella Odey-Ekpo since she was acceptable to stakeholders of the party which include the humanitarian minister, Dr Betta Edu and the state governor Bassey Otu.
Alile Idele who replaced Betta Edu is said to be the candidate of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who met with Ganduje behind closed doors earlier in the week to canvassed support for her.
Other appointees unveiled by the Party’s National Secretary, Sen. Ajibola Basiru during a media briefing on the outcome of the NWC meeting held on Wednesday includes the Deputy National Chairman, North (North East Zone) Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori (Borno State).
The list includes National Vice Chairman, North West (North West Zone) Hon. Garba Datti Muhammad (Kaduna State), who replaced Dr Salihu Lukman, National Welfare Officer, Donatus Nwankpa (South East zone).
The party also picked National Prof. Abdul Karim Abubakar Kana (Nasarawa State) Legal Adviser (North Central Zone) and the Zonal Organising Secretary (North Central Zone), Ikani Shuaibu Okolo (Kogi State).
