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Buni Floors El-Rufai, Akeredolu, Other APC Govs to Retain Party Chairmanship Seat
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Governors scheming to remove the Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee of the All Progressives Congress, Governor Mai Mala Buni, failed in their attempt as President Muhammadu Buhari put his foot down on Wednesday, insisting that he should be allowed to continue as the chairman of the party.
Buni also cancelled the meeting of the National Executive Committee, which had been called by the acting Chairman of the CECPC, Abubakar Bello, who is also the Governor of Niger State.
Some governors, including Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, had openly backed attempts to sack Buni, while a few others like Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, continued to defend the Yobe State governor.
Last week, El-Rufai had claimed that the President had sanctioned Buni’s removal and the appointment of Bello as the new chairman of the APC caretaker committee.
The Kaduna State governor specifically claimed that Buni had colluded with some fifth columnists in the party to secure a court order to thwart the planned convention.
Akeredolu had also lambasted Buni, describing the governors supporting him as fraudsters.
Bello subsequently wrote a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission informing it of the plan to hold a NEC meeting ostensibly to remove both Buni and Senator John Akpanudoedehe, who is the secretary of the CECPC.
But INEC responded that Bello had no powers to write such a letter. The commission further stated that any meeting involving leadership change would require a 21-day notice.
This effectively threw a spanner in the works. However, the governors remained adamant, insisting that a NEC meeting would hold today (Thursday) without revealing the agenda of the meeting.
But in a bid to ensure that he is not removed, Buni, who had been away on medical leave in Dubai for the past two weeks, visited the President in London on Thursday.
Buni was said to have explained his side of the story to Buhari, who agreed with him, but maintained that the March 26 national convention must hold.
Armed with the President’s support, the CECPC chairman, it was learnt, immediately jumped on a flight back to Nigeria.
In a letter personally signed by Buhari, which was obtained by The PUNCH on Thursday, the President warned that any attempt to change the current leadership could spell doom for the party.
The President also sent communication to the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chairman, Progressive Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu, to ensure strict compliance. Also copied was the acting Chairman of the CECPC, Bello.
Buhari specifically warned that further controversies could lead to the APC being unable to participate in the 2023 elections.
The letter read in part, “It has come to my attention that because of recent events, the APC is faced with a multiplicity of court cases pending against it in various courts across the country. As a result of this, the party faces the possibility and prospect of the invalidation of all its activities and actions by INEC.
“Furthermore, the party has demonstrated its inability to proceed with the issue of effecting change in leadership of its CECPC in a way that is inclusive, legal and respectful of the time limit set and required for giving INEC sufficient notice of the time and venue for holding its convention.
“No doubt, these controversies and uncertainties as enumerated above pose a real threat to the party and may lead to a possible non-recognition of its activities, elections and the probable invalidation of all its other actions by INEC. This may ultimately even lead to its implosion and non-existence.”
Buhari said having failed to remove Buni and since INEC had made its position clear, the best thing to do was to maintain the status quo.
The letter added, “The issue of the leadership of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee should immediately return to the status quo ante.
“All members of the Governors’ Forum and their followers should desist from any behaviour or utterance that will likely lead to disunity in the ranks of the party, and ultimately jeopardise the transition to the convention.
“The Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee should accordingly be allowed to proceed with all necessary preparations to hold the convention as planned, unfailingly on March 26, 2022.”
Following the President’s letter, the Secretary to the CECPC, Akpanudoedehe, issued a statement announcing the outright cancellation of the NEC.
The statement titled, ‘Purported APC NEC meeting cancelled’, read in part, “As directed by the National Chairman of the APC CECPC and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, a purported emergency meeting of the party’s NEC slated for Thursday, March 26, 2022 is hereby cancelled.”
Buhari’s intervention brings to an end the planned coup against Buni, who has been running the affairs of the APC since June 2020.
The Punch
A former head coach of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen, has been appointed to lead Nigeria’s Super Falcons on a temporary basis as the search for a permanent manager continues.
His immediate assignment is navigating the 2028 Olympic Games second-round qualifying tie against Comoros this October.
Eguavoen brings top-tier experience to the role, having previously guided the Super Eagles to a bronze medal at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Joining the interim technical crew is Nasarawa Amazons head coach Christopher Danjuma, who recently led the Falconets at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Former Super Falcons defender Ayisat Yusuf – who earned 68 caps and featured at the 2008 Beijing Olympics – also joins as an assistant coach, alongside veteran goalkeeper trainer Olatunji Baruwa.
The 10-time African champions will kick off their campaign against Comoros, who advanced after a staggering 30-0 aggregate win over Sudan.
Both legs of the fixture will take place at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo on October 9 and 13, 2026.
To secure one of Africa’s two spots at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, Nigeria must navigate four two-legged knockout rounds.
Should they beat Comoros, the Super Falcons will move on to the third round in early 2027 to face either Morocco or the Democratic Republic of Congo. Subsequent rounds are set for late 2027, where potential clashes against sides like Cameroon, South Africa, or Zambia loom in the final stretch.
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa, has accused a former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, of deliberately planning the killing of people in Southern Kaduna.
Musa made the allegation while fielding questions on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday.
The minister said El-Rufai’s administration created deep divisions in Kaduna State, alleging that the situation made it difficult for residents from Southern Kaduna to live freely in the northern part of the State and vice versa.
According to him, the administration of the current governor, Uba Sani, has made deliberate efforts to restore unity and rebuild trust among residents of the State.
“We know how it was when El-Rufai was there; it was toxic,” Musa said.
“El-Rufai did a lot of terrible things in Kaduna State. He divided the country, the State, into two. In that, if you are from the South, you cannot go to the North and live. Those ones from the North were moving to the South.
“Governor Sani within one year has been able to dissolve all that. You see, now everybody is free, everybody has a say. It’s not 100%. Let me tell you, it’s not 100%, but you can see that he’s making deliberate effort in uniting the state.”
Speaking on the feelings of people in Southern Kaduna towards the former governor, Musa said the people remained deeply pained over killings recorded in the area during El-Rufai’s tenure.
He alleged that El-Rufai deliberately planned the killing of people in the region.
“Well, I don’t know if unhappy is an issue. I think if there’s anything worse than unhappy, we can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people,” Musa said.
“I mean, when you look at it, if you look at his videos, you know, his speeches, he was very proud of what he did.
“He told us he paid bandits. He told us he did this, he did that. He didn’t hide it. He was that arrogant to come out and tell people that this was what he did.”
The Defence Minister said residents of Southern Kaduna were still traumatised by the killings that occurred during the period, adding that the security situation in the area had improved under the current administration.
“The Southern Kaduna people are still very pained. Of course, definitely. I mean, if you look at the number of killings that was done there and what is going on now, you can’t compare at all,” he said.
Musa further accused El-Rufai of denying some people opportunities during his administration and alleged that the former governor’s policies affected even people from his own part of the state.
“I can tell you what he has done to people living in Kaduna from his own area. He did a lot of things that I’m sure even him is not proud of,” he added.
The minister, however, called on Nigerians to reject politicians who exploit religion, ethnicity and other differences to divide the country.
“We should get politicians that want to unite Nigeria. For me, any individual who is using either religion, tribe, creed, or anything to divide the state can never be a friend; can never be somebody we look up to,” Musa said.
“We shouldn’t have those kind of ones in government. Anybody who is using religion or tribe or whatever to divide Nigeria is an enemy of the State.”
President Bola Tinubu departed Abuja, the nation’s capital on Sunday for Europe to begin a three-week vacation as part of his annual leave.
Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, in a release disclosed that Tinubu’s first stop will be London, United Kingdom.
The President is expected to return home after the working vacation to join the hectic campaign for the January 2027 election.
Vice President Kashim Shettima had earlier this month went on two-week leave, his first since the Tinubu government assumed office over three years ago. He has since returned.
