How Niger Governor Emerged APC's Acting Chairman Months after Endorsing Tinubu for President

How Niger Governor Emerged APC's Acting Chairman Months after Endorsing Tinubu for President

  • Governor Sani Bello of Niger state says he is the new acting chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress
  • The Niger state governor's emergence as the acting chairman comes about a month after endorsing Bola Tinubu for president
  • The presidential aspiration of the former Lagos governor may have received a great boost as one of his supporters now heads the party

FCT, Abuja - Ahead of the 2023 general elections, various power blocs and interest groups in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have started taking steps to fight for the soul of the ruling party.

On Monday, March 7, Governor Sani Bello of Niger state, took control of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring himself as "acting chairman".

2023 Presidency: How Niger Governor Emerged APC's Acting Chairman Months after Endorsing Tinubu
Governor Sani Bello of Niger state took charge of the ruling APC pending the March 26 convention. Photo credit: @GovNiger
Source: Twitter

He claimed that he had been serving as the acting chairman "for a while since the chairman (Buni) travelled," according to Daily Trust.

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The Niger state governor, however, declined comment when asked to confirm whether Buni has been sacked nd he has been appointed as the new chairman of the Caretaker Committee.

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His deafening silence fueled the speculations that Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state who stepped into the chairman’s office in 2020 has been finally removed.

Bello's endorsement of Tinubu and emergence as APC acting chairman: A coincidence?

Meanwhile, Governor Bello's emergence as the acting chairman of the APC comes a month after endorsing the presidential aspiration of the party's national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Bello is one of the three serving state governors who have openly backed Tinubu to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

While declaring his support for Tinubu recently, he described the APC leader as "a candidate to reckon with."

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The Niger state governor made the remark on Thursday, January 20, when he received Tinubu during a visit to the Government House in Minna.

He added that he is looking forward to seeing Tinubu replicate the foundation he laid in Lagos for Nigeria.

Bello receives report of APC zoning committee

It is also noteworthy that one of the major official duties Governor Bello performed after emerging the acting chairman was to receive a report of the party’s zoning committee ahead of the national convention.

The report was presented to him at the meeting of the Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC by the Chairman of the committee and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

As the APC plans for its convention scheduled to hold on Saturday, March 26, it remains to be seen whether Bello's emergence as the acting chairman will boost Tinubu’s emergence as the ruling party's presidential candidate.

Source: Legit.ng

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