The National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressive Congress, APC, has announced the replacement of some vacant positions of the ruling Party.
The National Secretary of the Party, Ajibola Basiru, during a media briefing on the outcome of the NWC meeting held at the APC National Secretariat noted that the outgoing National Deputy Chairman for North, Abubakar Kyari, was replaced by Borno APC chairman, Ali Dalori;
Basiru further said that the women leader, Betta Edu, was replaced by Mary Alile Idele, from Edo state.
Both Kyari and Edu were recently appointed ministers by President Bola Tinubu.
Edu was appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, while Kyari was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.
Shortly after the announcement angry youths and women invaded the party office along Blantyre Street in Wuse 2 District of Abuja on Thursday protesting the appointment of people they considered “strange” into the vacant offices of the NWC.
The bone of contention was the announcement of Mary Alile Idele from Edo State as National Woman Leader of the party and Duru Meseko as Deputy National Publicity Secretary.
Idele is said to be the candidate of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, instead of Dr. Stella Odey-Ekpo from Cross River State, the candidate of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Beta Edu, and the Cross River state Governor, Bassey Otu.
The ruling party had equally settled for Duro Meseko from Kogi State as the new Deputy National Publicity Secretary to replace Yakubu Ajaka.
While Meseko was reportedly nominated by James Faleke, a federal lawmaker and an ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as against Yahaya Ismail, the candidate recommended by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
Bello was said to have protested the substitution of his nominee and had consequently stormed the party secretariat on Thursday morning.
The Governor also reportedly met the National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje on Wednesday night to also protest the decision of the NWC announcing Meseko as Deputy National Publicity Secretary.
Below is the full list of new officers announced by the Party to fill vacant NWC and Zonal positions:
1. Deputy National Chairman, North East Zone – Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori from Borno State.
2. National Vice Chairman, North West Zone – Hon. Garba Datti Muhammad from Kaduna State.
3. National Legal Adviser, North Central Zone – Prof. Abdul Karim Abubakar Kana from Nasarawa State.
4. National Welfare Secretary, South East Zone – Hon. Donatus Nwankpa from Abia State.
5. National Women Leader, South South Zone,
– Mary Alile Idele, PhD, from Edo State.
6. Deputy National Publicity Secretary, North Central Zone, – Duro Meseko from Kogi State.
7. Zonal Organising Secretary, North Central Zone – Ikani Shuaibu Okolo from Kogi State.