The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly begun moves to remove and replace the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
It was gathered that Tinubu and Adamu have been having a running battle which reportedly started when the APC openly backed Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, during the party’s presidential primaries.
According to sources, Tinubu alongside some governors are already shopping for the chairman’s replacement and they might meet President Muhammadu Buhari soon over the move to remove Adamu.
“There is currently a sharp division in the inner caucus of Tinubu over the fate of Adamu. While APC governors and some Christian leaders are calling for his replacement, the Director-General of APC PCC, Governor Simon Lalong and some members of NWC, are calling for caution,” a source told Daily Sun.
“Since Tinubu’s sudden emergence, attempts by party leaders to mediate and close ranks between the two have failed,” the source added.
A close ally of Tinubu, who is also a member of APC PCC, accused Adamu of not managing the crisis in the party well.
He said: “He didn’t even support Tinubu from the beginning. He is still sabotaging him from within. Tinubu can’t sit back and let that continue. The party is yet to reconcile aggrieved members of the party. Former presidential aspirants are still at loggerheads with the party and Adamu is unable to fix that.
“Instead, he’s so fixated on the composition of the Presidential Campaign Organisation as if that was what he was elected to do. If APC must win, Adamu needs to go. He can’t guarantee the success of the party in next year’s general elections.
“Right now, we don’t have the support of major Christian leaders who are in Government. Adamu and NWC can’t prevail on them to support the candidacy of Tinubu. What kind of a chairman is that?“
The source stated that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Rotimi Amaechi, Lawan and Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, are not openly supporting Tinubu.
According to the Tinubu’s ally, many senators and members of the House of Representatives, are not working for the APC presidential candidate.
He further cited the need to balance religious biases in the party, as one of the reasons to be advanced by those pushing for Adamu’s ouster.
The source said: “The party will have its National Executive Committee (NEC), critical decisions are expected to be taken there. One of then will be the fate of Adamu. The chairman is aware and that’s one of the reasons he’s delaying that meeting.
“If you remember, APC governors didn’t want him as chairman. They only respected Buhari’s wish. And Adamu has not lived up to expectations. He needs to pave way for someone who will drive the campaign to step in.
“Beside, APC has been accused of only fielding Muslims. Party leaders believe that it needs to change. If we’re able to convince President Buhari, Adamu maybe asked to step aside soon.
“As of now, Tinubu is not around. As his core supporters, we can’t take any decision until he returns. But we’ve briefed him and he appears to be with us. He will listen to both arguments and decide what’s best for everyone when he returns.”
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