President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday approved the sack of the All-Progressive Congress (APC) chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) , Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State. He  consequently appointed the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, to take over with immediate effect.

It was disclosed by some of the APC governors that the president had approved the dismissal of the chairman due to various confrontations to prevent plans to hold the party’s convention coming up on March 26th 2022.

Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who has been appointed to take over from Mai Mala Buni, arrived the party’s secretariat at about 12 noon on Monday 7th of March, amid heavy security and was cheered by party supporters.

APC chairman Buni debunked dismissal as party chairman.

Mai Mala Buni has debunked his dismissal as party chairman, insisting, he is still in charge, and describing the report as fake news. This was disclosed in a statement by the Buni and was signed by the National Secretary CECPC, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.

The statement reads in part; “Our attention has been drawn to sponsored media reports on an imaginary leadership change in the All-Progressives Congress APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC. The media report is fake news and should be disregarded.

The APC is a progressive political party guided by rules. Leadership changes are not announced by ‘sources’ through name dropping in the media.

We urge our teeming supporters, members and indeed the general public to remain calm and support the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC CECPC conduct a rancor-free and credible National Convention deserving of our great party”.

Yekini Nabena,  the National Executive Committee (NEC) and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary stated “Governor Bello should not destroy the ruling APC because of his personal political ambition of becoming Vice President or whatever in 2023. The likes of Governor Bello are the political vultures working against our party and to cause anarchy in the ruling APC.

I am using this medium to call on our leaders across the states to caution governor Sani Bello of Niger State. The presidency should also call him to order to immediately drop the plan to convey a NEC meeting without the knowledge of Governor Mai Mala Buni and the Secretary of the CECPC.

Governor Sani Bello is neither the Chairman nor Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee. So where does he get the power to convene such meeting?” he asked.

However, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, stated he wasn’t sure of governor Buni’s position, has he already received the blessings of president Muhammadu Buhari to be the acting chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).