From Romanus Ugwu and Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Nasarawa State governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and others yesterday emerged the national officers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) through a consensus at the party’s national convention held in Abuja.
Adamu emerged the consensus chairman after six other contestants withdrew from the contest. Those who withdrew from the contest were Mustapha Saliu, Senator Sani Musa, Senator George Akume, Mohammed Etsu, Abdulraziz Yari and Senator Tanko Al-Makura.
Akume had in a letter addressed to the chairman, APC Election Sub- committee and dated March 25, announced the withdrawal of the six aspirants, to pave way for Adamu’s emergence as consensus candidate following President Muhammadu Buhari’s earlier endorsement of the ex-Nasarawa governor.
Also, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogora withdrew from the contest for the position of deputy national chairman (North).
Senator Abubakar Kyari from Borno emerged deputy national chairman (North); Chief Emma Eneukwu from Enugu State emerged deputy national chairman (South).
Others in the list include Otunba Iyiora Omisore from Osun State, national secretary; Deputy National Secretary, Fetus Fuanter from Plateau; Muazu Nasa Rijau from Niger State, national vice chairman (North-central); Mustapha Saliu from Adamawa State, national vice chairman (Northeast); Saliu Lukeman from Kaduna State, national vice chairman (Northwest), while Ijeoma Arodiogbu from Imo State emerged national vice chairman (Southeast).
Similarly, Victor Giadom from Rivers State is now the national vice chairman (South-south); D.I. Kekemeke from Ondo, national vice chairman (Southwest).
Also, in the Unity List include Ahmed El-Marduk from Kastina, national legal adviser; Uguru Oforke from Ebonyi, national treasurer; Bashir Usman Gumel from Jigawa, national financial secretary; Suleiman Argungun, from Kebbi, national organizing secretary.
However, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, who was earlier touted as the consensus candidate for the position of deputy national chairman (South) was missing from the Unity List.
Nevertheless, the convention was yet to ratify the Unity List, as voting was yet to commence as at press time.
In a chat with Sunday Sun yesterday, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, said that he knew one year ago that Adamu would be the national chairman of the party.
Kalu said that everyone in the party, including the governors would obey the new chairman.
He said that when President Buhari nominated Adamu, other party men applauded him for deciding on only one slot and allowing other members to fill other positions at the convention.
The Chief Whip of the Senate said that Buhari took a wise decision in selecting Adamu, saying that the singular decision saved the party from unnecessary strife.
He expressed optimistic that the new chairman would take APC to greater heights.