As the crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) deepens the party has confirmed the immediate resignation of its National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and the National Secretary, Senator Iyola Omisore.
The two top officials of the party reportedly resigned on Sunday night for personal reasons.
Addressing a press conference at the party secretariat on Monday after the National Working Committee meeting, Abubakar Kyari, the Deputy National Chairman North said he has taken over as acting National Chairman while the Deputy National Secretary, Mr. Festus Fumta will act as party scribe until further notice.
The National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the party started earlier than usual on Monday and was well attended by stakeholders who were earger to witness the end of the hot pressure mounted on the former national chairman to quit after the end of the 2023 general elections.
Senator Adamu and Omisore were conspicuously absent at the meeting.
Sources said that Senator Adamu allegedly resigned along with the National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore after indications emerged that a vote of no confidence would be passed on them during Monday’s NWC meeting, to forced them out.
Recall that Adamu emerged as APC national chairman in March 2022, about two years after the dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC).
Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State from May 1999 to May 2007 also represented Nasarawa West Senatorial District in the National Assembly between May 2011 and April 2022 before becoming the National Chairman of the APC.
Sources stated that the former governor’s problems started just before the APC presidential primary election in June 2022, when Adamu announced ex-Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as the party’s consensus candidate but the choice was strongly rejected by a league of northern governors who preferred former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu as the party’s flag bearer.
Tinubu eventually emerged as the party’s flag bearer after defeating Lawan, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, ex-Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi; and other power brokers within the APC and subsequently won the February 25, 2023 presidential poll.
Intra-party squabbles between the party’s camp that favoured Tinubu and other camps within the APC seriously dogged the Adamu administration since the victory of Tinubu with some party members insisting that he should leave over the mismanagement of funds and refusal to hold regular meetings.
Some party members have also accused Senator Omisore of mismanaging funds meant for campaigns in his home state, Osun, during the just concluded general election, an allegation which Omisore has repeatedly denied.
Meanwhile, Senator Abubakar Kyari has assured party loyalists that the APC will continue to be governed by its constitution even as he called for calm and cooperation with the new leadership.
Omisore hasn’t resigned, says lawyer Kayode Ajulo, solicitor to Sen. Iyola Omisore says the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has not resigned from his office.
Ajulo said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
He said Omisore it was unlikely for both the party National Chairman, Sen Abdullahi Adamu and Omisore to vacate their offices same time.
He, therefore, described the rumoured resignation of Omisore as baseless and unfounded.
He said the former Osun senator would attend the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) scheduled for today.
He said if Omisore will resign that would be a personal decision, adding that he has not been forced to resign as being insinuated in some quarters.
“Why must he resign, he is the National Sectetary of the winning party that has just ushered in the new government of President Bola Tinubu.
“He he is proud of what the president is doing and the party enjoys the confidence of the president vice versa
“What he is doing now is to stabilise the political space and ensure that those who worked for the emergence of President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian people are happy with the government,” Ajulo said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there were also rumours on July 16 over alleged resignation of the National Adamu.
NAN reports that Omisore was also rumoured to have written his resignation his resignation letter ahead of the National Caucus and and National Executive Committee meetings of the party schedule for July 17.