Ahead of the National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled for this Saturday, President Muhammadu Buhari has withdrawn his endorsement of former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu for the position of the National Chairman, Daily Independent has gathered.
An aide of the President who spoke exclusively to our correspondent on Tuesday said the President’s decision not to back Adamu or any of the aspirants is to ensure a level playing ground where the best aspirants, who are the choice of the people can emerge.
“Some people who feel they are close to Mr President sold the candidature of Senator Abdullahi Adamu to him. Somehow, others too who have Mr President’s ears have also told him the implication of using Adamu as APC National chairman.
“So, Mr President having listened to both parties now said he is no longer interested in any consensus again. Let there be an open contest where the best person will emerge as the national chairman.”
“That is the reason why all the aspirants have picked the form. Even those who were initially reluctant to contest after it was reported that the President had endorsed Adamu have collected the forms”.
“The President does not need any chairman for any personal ambition. Don’t forget, he is not contesting again and he has said he will retire to his farm after May 29.”
“All he wants is to leave a stronger APC behind with a new set of leadership that can deliver the 2023 general elections to the party. He has no anointed candidate at all and he wishes all the aspirants the very best,” he said.
Earlier, the reports that the President had endorsed Senator Adamu did not go down well with the party’s stakeholders, state governors and chairmanship aspirants.
Some governors, in a statement, said Senator Adamu is not a core member of the party, saying someone who knows the ins and outs of the party should be the one to head the party and not a former member of PDP.
The governors also alleged that his performance as the chairman of the APC Reconciliation Committee was also not encouraging to give him the mandate to lead the party.