From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The  meeting by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), National Working Committee (NWC), members of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and the leadership of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), yesterday, over the controversial council list ended in deadlock.

This is as its National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu has warned that the party would lose the 2023 presidential poll without the support of its governors.

The APC governors, it was learnt, are aggrieved over the composition of the presidential campaign council released recently by its secretary, James Faleke. 

Director General of the Campaign Council, Governor Simon Lalong had to postpone the kick-off of the presidential campaign to allow room for  inclusion of more members. At yesterday’s meeting were seven state governors,  Lalong of Plateau State, who doubles as DG PCC;  Umar Ganduje, Kano;  Abubarkar Badaru, Jigawa; Bello Matawalle, Zamfara, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi; Sani Bello,Niger; Rotimi Akeredolu,  Ondo;Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa and the Borno State Deputy governor.

On the side of the PCC leadership were former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, Hadiza Bala and Chief of Staff to Lalong, with PCC secretary, James Faleke, with all NWC members.

The agenda of the meeting had indicated that they were  to discuss the postponed zonal tour, proposed APC national conference and presidential campaign council list. 

It was, however, learnt that at the end of the meeting, both parties could not reach an agreement on issues in contention. 

Speaking to newsmen  after the meeting that lasted for over four hours, the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, insisted that the leadership must determine  what was right and implement it as long as it is within the framework of INEC’s guidelines.

Although the chairman of PGF, Bagudu, admitted that there were mistakes in the release of the comprehensive council list, he however expressed assurance that the party’s leadership was solidly behind the presidential candidate.

Bagudu said : “What I will say is that the governors of the APC, members of the presidential campaign council visited the Chairman and NWC members to strategise and discuss on campaign and the chairman briefed us about the party and we appreciate how well our party has been doing in the polity.”

On whether the governors are comfortable with the campaign list, Bagudu lamented its erroneous release, assuring that it would be sorted out.

“Governors are very proud of our party, we are very proud of our party leader, President Muhamadu Buhari, we are very proud of the conventions that produced both our national chairman and our presidential candidate in person of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the vice presidential candidate in the person of Kashim Shettima. We are very proud of the actions of the national chairman and the NWC, we are very proud of the actions of the presidential campaign council.”

In his opening remarks, Adamu had restated the need for the governors to support the party win the 2023 presidential poll.

He noted “being the chief executive officers of their various states, the onus of our great party lies in the hands of God and in their hands because they are the commanders of the party fortunes in their various states. “We cannot make meaningful progress in the affairs of these states, particularly in an election year that is approaching. We cannot plan without the buy-in of our governors so that we can stand together, believing that we share same aspirations.

“We will plan together to see how best we can deliver the interest of the party and ensure that victory is ours in 2023 general election that is by the corner. That is the essence of this meeting”.

Governor Lalong,  who led the delegation said: “We are very happy our party is moving very well. Today we have an invitation of the national chairman and that invitation also went to the campaign council.

“So, the PGF invited the campaign council to a meeting and from there, that is why you can see the meeting came jointly with progressive governors (who) are also part of the campaign council for proper briefing.”