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APC Crisis: Senate leader fears collapse of party, urges members to unite
Nigeria’s Senate leader and Senator representing Kebbi North Senatorial district, Abdullahi Abubakar Yahaya has expressed deep concern over endless crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Change, APC, saying, if quickly tackled would consume the party.
Abdullah’s concern was at the backdrop of the fact that the National Convention of the APC was at the corner, stressing that members must quickly come together in order to conduct a successful National Convention.
The lawmaker spoke on Tuesday after the meeting of APC Senators caucus met after plenary to discuss the crisis rocking the party, particularly on the disturbing development on Monday when Niger State governor, Alhaji Sani Bello stormed the party headquarters in Abuja and took over as acting National Chairman of the party.
APC senators met for about two hours meeting. We are too worried about what is happening in our party and we expressed our concern over the challenges facing the party.
Abdullahi said: “Very close to its national convention and we thought as a very important stakeholders in the party. We want to draw the attention of everyone involved to come together and unite so that we can have very successful convention in the party.
“This is not the time for exchanging regrets about what we could do. What is happening is about the future of our party and Government and also the capacity of our party to win elections in 2023.
“We have sat down as important stakeholders as a caucus in this great party, to dissect all the issues that have been affecting our party since the formation of the caretaker extraordinary convention planning committee.
“He admitted that APC has been facing serious challenges, but said, the Congresses at the State, Local Government and ward level was a success.
“We are quite aware of the challenges that they have faced and we are also aware of the successes that the committee has recorded particularly when it comes to registration of members, they came to harmonise some of the successes of the party, carrying out congresses at the ward, Local Government and at the State levels.
“We commend the performance of that committee, we ask you to do more by as much as possible by trying to reconcile those chapters where there are still challenges trailing the ward, local Government and state congresses because a loss in any State is a loss for the party.
“We cannot afford to come to the convention as a divided entity. Anywhere there are challenges that could cause the party its victory is a loss for everybody. So we have resolved to meet again to articulate the major issues and then meet with the various stakeholders and aspirants of the party to advise and call for unity and sense of purpose in order to make sure that we unite every faction every stakeholder of the party, so that the party can emerge victorious in 2023 elections.
“The same convention planning committee is in place.
“What we realised is that the chairman of the convention planning committee has been sick and he went for medication checkup.
“The current Niger State Governor, from the grapevine and from the knowledge that is available to us is actually the deputy chairman and in the absence of the chairman he is acting till the chairman comes back.
“The speculation in the papers is not exactly true. What we are concerned about is the seeming disarray in the party. So from our standing coming from all the States in Nigeria we have to come and establish a national platform where all these things can be articulated so that all of us will come up with one mind and strategise for the success of the party.
“All personal and individual bitter struggling for power is subordinated to the chances of the party. Party interest. So that the party would be strong. We are the strongest party we have the largest membership, therefore we should as much as possible move to make sure that our party is United in the interest of every member.”
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, over the passing of his mother, Hajiya Safarau Umar Baribari.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Dr. Ganduje described Hajiya Safarau’s death as a profound loss that has left a deep void in the hearts of her family, friends, and the people of Katsina State.
Extending his sympathies, the APC National Chairman condoled with Governor Radda, the bereaved family, and the entire people of Katsina State during this difficult time.
He acknowledged the remarkable contributions of the late Hajiya Safarau and prayed for Almighty Allah (SWT) to grant her eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus while strengthening the family to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Dr. Ganduje urged Governor Radda and others affected to find comfort in the cherished memories and enduring legacy of the deceased.
Reaffirming the APC’s support, the former Kano State governor assured the people of Katsina State of the party’s solidarity in their time of grief and prayed that Allah (SWT) grant the departed soul Al-Jannah Firdaus. Ameen.
The wife of Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), Hajia Aishat has offered cash and food items worth millions of naira to widows and vulnerable women across Dekina local government Councils, promises to take similar gesture across the nine local government in Kogi East.
The exercise which was tagged: “Widows Empowerment”, saw the Senator’s wife distributing cash and food items to cushion the effect of Ramadan.
Items distributed are bags of rice bags of salt, cartons of seasoning, maggi etc, which were evenly distributed to widows and vulnerable women across party lines.
A beneficiary who spoke with our correspondent at Odu in Dekina Local Government Council, Hon Fitumi thanked Hajia for her continuous effort in coming through for widows and vulnerable regularly.
She acknowledged similar gesture by Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), a fortnight ago at Ankpa when youths in their numbers from three Local Government Areas were trained in Agriculture and empowered, stressing that people are now living testimony to the effort of the lawmaker.
“”We are aware of several intervention projects, empowerment and developmental projects of Senator Echocho and we are not surprised seeing Hajia toeing the similar path.
“The distribution of food items and cash today is not only a rekindling of hope to the beneficiaries, but an encouragement that despite their condition, they were not forgotten.
Hajia Labran, and other APC Women leaders who spoke on behalf of women, applauded Hajia Aisha Echocho and pray Allah to strengthen her to carry on, urged others to emulate her sustainable initiatives.
The women advised other political office holders to emulate what is good and just, which they believed would strengthen the party.
As part of the activities to celebrate the golden anniversary of the University of Calabar, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio was on Saturday, March 22, 2025 conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in Education Management.
The ceremony held at the main campus of the institution in Calabar, Cross River State also saw the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Law.
Other awardees included Major General Moses Bisong Obi (rtd) (Doctor of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Obi (Doctor of Law).
In her acceptance speech after the conferment by the 15th Emir of Kano and Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Akpabio thanked the Governing Council and Management of the University for finding her worthy of the honour.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong quoted Mrs Akpabio as saying “I am happy to be honoured with this award from the prestigious University of Calabar that I have heard so much about from my dear husband, an alumnus of this great institution.
“I was wondering when I will join him as a great Malabress and that day has come and I am grateful to the University for this honour,” she said.
Mrs Akpabio promised to work with other awardees especially the Minister of the FCT to provide infrastructural assistance to the university.
In a citation the University extolled Mrs Akpabio for her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts towards uplifting the lives of women and the vulnerable of the society through her non governmental organisation, the Family Life Enhancement Initiative.
She was also recognized as a Champion of women’s rights and as one who used her position as the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State to fight for the inclusion of more women in governance.
On his part, Chief Wike said he was honoured to be among the recipients of award. He extolled the Visitor of the University, President Bola Tinubu for working tirelessly to promote tertiary education in the country.
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