Senator Abdullahi Adamu has been elected the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at its convention in Abuja.
Adamu was elected unopposed on Saturday at the APC Convention held at the Eagles Square, Abuja.
He was formally announced as the new chairman of the party by Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State after he was endorsed by party members.
Adamu has been the consensus candidate of President Muhammadu Buhari. His election as chairman at the convention was therefore no surprise.
Earlier, six aspirants for the chairmanship of the party stepped down for Adamu to emerge as a consensus candidate.
They are: Sen. Tanko Al-Makura, Sen. George Akume, Abdulaziz Yari, Sen. Sani Musa Muhammed, Etsu Muhammed and Malam Saliu Mustapha.
A letter addressed to the Chairman, APC Election Sub-Committee and signed by one of the aspirants, Sen. George Akume, made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, said they decided to step down for Adamu as a sign of respect for the president.
The letter reads: “May I kindly refer to the appeal by President Muhammad Buhari for the chairmanship aspirants of our great party to agree to a consensus arrangement wherein our colleague Sen. Abdullahi Adamu is made our consensus candidate for the chairmanship position.”
Also, Gov. Abudulahi Sule of Nasarawa State had earlier hinted that President Buhari had appealed that the party should come up with a consensus candidate to ensure a peaceful and rancour-free convention.
Sule, chairman APC Sub-Committee on Media and Publicity for the National Convention, said the decision followed President Buhari’s appeal for a consensus candidate.
He said the party’s leadership might refund money paid by aspirants for the purchase of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms after the emergence of a consensus candidate.
