APC convention: Governors plotting against my chairmanship aspiration, Yari alleges

Despite its claim to deliver transparent congresses and national convention that would produce substantive national officers for the party, the All Progressives Congress Caretaker/Extraodinary Convention Planning Committee, (CECPC) has  been accused of sinister plot ahead of the exercise.

 Former governor of Zamfara State and Chairmanship aspirant, Abdul Aziz Yari,  at the weekend accused the CECPC-led by Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni of scheming to frustrate his ambition.

The two term governor of the North West state raised the alarm at the weekend while speaking with newsmen in Abuja.

Yari alleged that certain governors in the Progressives Congress Forum in league with Governor Buni have perfected plan to undermine his ambition to lead the ruling party ahead of the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

He noted that in the permutation of some of the governors, allegedly in league with Governor Buni, no chieftain of the party from the same North West zone as the sitting President ( incidentally President Muhammadu Buhari is from Katsina state) should be allowed to emerge as national chairman.

He said: “Somebody told me that some of my colleagues and former colleagues are interested in the number one and number two slots so, if the National Chairmanship seat goes to the North West, nothing will get to them, so they ganged up to neutralize Yari.

“If God decides that it should be, it is going to be. People can manoeuver

and do all sorts of calculations but they will not prevail.

“All I know is this: I have the capacity to lead this party and they know what I can do.

“It doesn’t matter what excuses they are giving that, “oh, he is from the same zone with the President, no.”

“Our calculations now are towards 2023,  not 2019. It is only when you have a party, a strong party, that you start thinking of two thousand and twenty-three and whatever the situation may be, the capacity to lead the party to electoral victory is the most important thing.

“This is one major area in which I believe I have a little but very significant knowledge about how to go about getting it done.”

Reacting to pending investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the chairmanship aspirant who dismissed allegations of financial sleaze during his stewardship further alleged that some governors instigated the petition.

“There are so many other things they have said that are mere tissue of lies meant to try get a good man down but they will never succeed.”

They have circulated rumours that I got money from the London Paris Club,  that I robbed the state and did this that and that but I challenged  anyone either in the Governors’ Forum or in the state – anybody!

“I have mentioned it times  without number, that if there is any front man or collaborator within or outside who is holding money on my behalf or who knows where I kept money, I say that God should not spare him if he decides to cover me up!

“I made it very clear but at least, I know myself what I have been doing and what I did for my people and the (Governors’) Forum, what I even did for my party the APC… So, whatever lie someone wants to tell, he should put the facts on the ground;  that’s the most important thing, not using some faceless cowards like himself to disseminate fabricated lies. If there is anybody who knows any account of mine anywhere, either in Nigeria or anywhere or that of any of my associates, they should come and put it before the public.”

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