There was uncertainty over the inauguration of new members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday as the event slated for 1pm could not hold as scheduled.
The leadership of the party had on Wednesday announced Hon. Duro Meseko (Kogi State) as Deputy National Publicity Secretary (North Central Zone) to replace Yakubu Ajaka, just as Ikani Shuaibu Okolo (Kogi State) takes the position of Zonal Organizing Secretary (North Central).
This saw the candidate of Yahaya Bello lost to the candidate of Hon James Faleke for the position of the deputy national publicity secretary.
Similarly, the party announced Mary Alile Idele, from Edo State as National Women Leader (South South Zone), instead of Dr. Stella Odey-Ekpo, the candidate of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Beta Edu. Idele happens to be the candidate Adams Oshiomhole.
Shortly after the announcement, Edu stormed the national secretariat around 6.20pm to protest the dropping of her candidate who had already practically resumed office and left around 45 minutes later.
Interestingly, the position which was micro zoned to Cross River was allegedly hijacked for Edo state by Oshiomhole, a development which did not go down well with the Cross River state governor, Bassey Otu.
For Abia State, it was equally alleged that the candidates recommended by both the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu and the State Chairman, Ikechi Emenike both lost to the candidate of Governor Hope Uzodinma.
The announcement of Meseko infuriated Bello who drove to Abuja on Wednesday night and headed straight to the residence of the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje.
Nevertheless, Bello in the early hours of Thursday stormed the national secretariat of the party before the scheduled inauguration as he insisted that Meseko be replaced with his candidate.
To forestall the breakdown of law and order, men of the Nigerian Police Force numbering about 100 took over the national secretariat of the party.
Hours after Bello’s arrival, a number of Kogi lawmakers from the Senate and House of Representatives arrived at the party’s secretariat.
While Bello was one of the early birds at the party’s secretariat, Ganduje and the National Secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Bashir were nowhere to be found.
As the waiting game continued, an emissary came to invite Meseko for a meeting with Bello.
Barely 30 minutes after the closed-door meeting, the delegation came out of the secretariat fuming that they wouldn’t accept the deal.
One of the supporters of Meseko said: “Just imagine the way the governor and those lawmakers were harassing him. They wanted to know why he didn’t turn down the appointment when he was offered.
“But when Hon. Mesoko insisted that he deserved it having worked for the party at the State level and for the victory of Asiwaju, they told him to resign immediately or risk jeorpadising his political career in Kogi.
“According to them, they can all go back to Kogi for reconciliation talks if he agrees to withdraw from the deputy spokesman’s position but we told him not to be bullied into taking the decision and left,” he added
A party source however revealed that Bello insisted he won’t be cowed to accept Meseko as the representative of the state in NWC.
The source stated: “Bello and those lawmakers just coming in are here for just one reason —to ensure this inauguration doesn’t hold. Of course, we are all aware that his nominee, who was the ex-Special Adviser on Water Resources in Kogi, Yahaya Ismail was dropped in favour of Hon. Duro Meseko for the position of Deputy National Publicity Secretary.
“This same Bello was with Ganduje at his residence last night. Despite the explanation by the chairman that Meseko was given the position to compensate Hon. James Faleke for withdrawing from Kogi governorship primary and for not making Tinubu’s ministerial list, Bello insisted that he won’t be cowed into accepting the deal.”