APC Chairmanship: Niger Senator may emerge – Source

As the National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress draw close, facts have emerged on Sunday night that a serving Senator might emerge as the National Chairman of the party.

The source close to the game of wits going on, but didn’t permit his name in print confided in our correspondent, saying, the dark horse who is currently representing a Senatorial District in Niger State was being touted to clinch the party’s plum job because of his openess and his national alliance across board.

The source confirmed to this online news outlet that the lawmaker and a former Minister from Niger State have already indicated their interest to the party, but the odd seems to favour the Senator.

The interest of the Senator and former minister from Niger State, notwithstanding, two ex-governors from Benue and Nasarawa States have also indicated interest to slug it out.

The source however said the lawmaker’s aspiration was changing the tide, saying “as l speak to you now the governors are taking their mind off them.

“So many factors are being contemplated and like a proverbial saying that once beaten twice shy, Senators are reasoning that the experience they had with a former governor who was the National Chairman of the party might form their judgement this time.

The party stalwart further explained that all Senators on the platform of the All Progressives Congress are making case for him, given that former governors have chaired the party since its inception.

This paper could not confirm if the House of Rep members who are of APC would throw their weight behind their senior colleague as he said, he wasn’t in the know as at the time he was speaking with our correspondent.

Further, he said, “From all indications and the narratives going round strategic blocks in the party shows that the support base of two frontline aspirants in the person of a vocal serving senator and a former minister both from the North Central zone are most likely going to dominate the permutations for the race of who becomes the new national chairman of the party in the next national convention which is coming up in few months.

“There are indications that the serving senator is said to be popular amongst young political class as he is versatile in managing the diversity and strength of both the old and new generation of politicians, he is outspoken against a society that groom bad and inept leadership, which pundits believe it can results in establishing bad governance. His silent mentioned has today created a challenge for older politicians and will be making it look tough in the coming days for the older hands on how to deal with the dynamics of the permutations.

“For the former minister who was also a one time member of the lower green chamber, the political environment may proof too difficult as pundits believed he will be used, and the fear is that It makes the party future uncertain. He is a good schemer in the game of party politics and within the macro environment, but when it comes to rallying round the party leadership blocks and populace he will face a herculean task to manage.”

According to the chieftain, the old hands that have indicated their ambitions to contest if given the opportunity may throw the party into turmoil, those that have openly declared interest are former governors of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, Nasarawa, Umaru Tanko Almakura, Zamfara, Abdulazeez Yari and a few others. They are all seeing to carry one baggage or the other that may affect the fortunes of the party come 2023. Majority of the APC faithfuls are of the opinion that new breed of leadership is desirable for the party, they are ferocious of the old class emerging this time again as they believe it will be business as usual and they are of the opinion that they don’t know what the problem is and they don’t know how it can be solved.