By Daniel Edu
The All Progressives Congress National Working Committee (APC-NWC), led by Abdullahi Ganduje, is taking steps to secure the consent of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to finalize the selection of fresh executives for the NWC.
Sources indicate that the party’s leadership has received a roster of nominations from state-level party chapters, aligning with the directive issued to the NWC during the preceding NEC assembly held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja the previous week.
Reports from Naija News outline that Saliu Lukman, the APC Vice Chairman (Northwest), and Ahmad El-Marzup, the Legal Adviser, have resigned from their positions. Additionally, President Bola Tinubu has nominated Senator Abubakar Kyari and Dr. Beta Edu, both NWC members, as ministers, while another member has sadly passed away.
The proposed new appointees await endorsement from the National Executive Committee (NEC). These individuals include Dr. Stella Odey-Ekpo, formerly the Commissioner for Local Government in Cross River State (for the Women Leader role); Ali Dalori, APC Chairman of Borno State (as Deputy National Chairman, North); Prof. Abdulkarim Kana, formerly Nasarawa State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice (for the Legal Adviser post); Martins Azubuike, ex-Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly (as Welfare Officer); and Yahaya Ismail, former Special Adviser on Water Resources to the Governor of Kogi State (for Deputy National Publicity Secretary).
This decision to populate these positions aligns with the guidance issued by the National Executive Committee (NEC). A well-placed source within the party conveyed to The PUNCH, “While the formal submission of the replacement for Lukman’s position is still pending, indications point towards Commodore Emmanual Jekada (retd.), the APC Chairman in Kaduna, as the favored choice to ascend as the subsequent National Vice Chairman for North-West.”
The source further clarified, “These are preliminary suggestions, and no decisions are irreversible at this stage. The names remain subject to NWC’s approval and have not yet been discussed or formally submitted to the NEC.”
Furthermore, the notion of a mini-convention has been ruled out, as the party intends to officially induct the new appointees once the NEC grants its endorsement.
