APC Convention: Party Leaders Narrow Choice To Al’Makura, Akume, Bwari

The choice of who becomes the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is becoming clearer with leaders of the party endorsing the candidature of three aspirants.

So far, 12 persons are jostling for the position among who are former governors, a serving minister, as well as serving and former members of the National Assembly.

At a well-attended meeting of key stakeholders of the APC held in the Abuja residence of one of the North-West governors at the weekend, the leaders, it was learnt that the slot was zoned to the North Central. They also narrowed the choice of preferred candidates to three aspirants, namely, Tanko Al’Makura (Nasarawa State), George Akume (Benue State) and Abubakar Bawa Bwari (Niger State) in that order. This is however subject to the approval of the party at the February 25 National Convention.

The meeting also agreed to zone the office of National Secretary to the South-South; Deputy National Chairman (South) to the South West; Deputy National Chairman (North) North-West; National Treasurer (South East) and National Financial Secretary (North East).

A source at the meeting told BusinessDay that the choice of the three aspirants was done after careful study of their character, qualifications, pedigree, service to the nation and loyalty to the party.

“Top on our priority in the choice of a national chairman that is loyalty to the party, with pedigree and patriotic to the country. We don’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past in our choice of our leaders, and I can tell you that these three aspirants met the criteria,” the source said.

He said the party leaders took the pre-emptive action to avoid anybody or group hijacking the party leadership, a situation he said could lead to “crisis” and “division” among the various groups that make up the party structure.

APC is divided into six power blocks. Notable among them are; the legacy parties that coalesced to form APC in 2013, the APC Governor’s Forum, the National Assembly Caucus of the party, former Governors, former federal lawmakers and the regional groups.

Meanwhile, all the groups are involved in the game of suspense, intrigues and horse-trading on a convention that promises to be the most intricate in the party’s history

The party is currently being administered by a 13-man Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) led by Governor Mai Bala Buni of Yobe State, which was inaugurated in June 2021, following the removal of former National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, about two years to the end of his tenure.

Although February 26, 2022, has been fixed for the elective National Convention, there are still doubts about it holding on that day with calls from some quarters for the convention to be postponed.

Aside from the three aspirants mentioned, the remaining nine national chairmanship aspirants are; former deputy national chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Saliu Mustapha; a former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, and senator representing Niger East District, Mohammed Sani-Musa.

Others are former governors of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari; Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda; Borno State, Kashim Shettima; Gombe State, Danjuma Goje; Sunny Moniedafe and Mohammed Saidu-Etsu

Profile of the 3 key aspirants

Umaru Tanko Al-Makura:

He was born November 15, 1952, in Lafia, Nasarawa State, as a member of the Gwandara ethnic group. He attended Dunama Primary School, Lafia (1959–1966), Keffi Teacher’s College (1967–1971) and then Government Teachers College of Education, Uyo (1972–75). For a short period in 1975, he was an Assistant Producer at the Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria.

He then went to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1975–1978), graduating with a Bachelor of Education Degree. For his National Youth Service, he was a teacher at the Government College, Makurdi.

In 1978, he formed Almakura Nigeria Limited, importing and servicing agricultural and industrial machinery. Later he ventured into real estate and property development as owner and chairman of Ta’al Nigeria Limited, with properties in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Washington DC, United States. He owns the Ta’al Lake Resort, Abuja, and the Ta’al Conference Hotel, Lafia.

In 1980, Almakura became the youth leader of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the old Plateau State. He was elected to the Constitution Assembly of 1988–89, representing the Lafia–Obi Federal Constituency of what is now Nasarawa State. He was state secretary of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in Plateau State from 1990 to 1992. Al-makura was a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State in 1998, but later defected to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)

Al-Makura was elected governor of Nasarawa State on April 26, 2011, on the ticket of CPC ticket. He is a serving senator.

George Akume:

Born on December 27, 1953, George Akume, the current minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, was a former governor of Benue State. He is a successful career civil servant, administrator, politician and member of the Great Tender Hall of Fame, University of Ibadan. He hails from Wannune Tarka Council Area of Benue State, a local government named after the famous minority rights crusader, the late Senator Joseph Sarwuan Tarka.

He had his primary education at the then Native Authority (N.A) Primary School at his birthplace (1960 – 66) and the former Government Secondary School, Otobi, now Model Science School, Otukpo, Benue State, (1967 – 71) for his Secondary Education. George was at St. Louis College for his Advanced Level (1972) and thereafter proceeded to the University of Ibadan for his Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology in (1978).

He also obtained a Masters degree in Industrial and Labour Relations (MILR) from the same Department and University (1986). He was at Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) where he obtained a Certificate in Management (1988).

Abubakar Bawa Bwari:

Bwari is the immediate past minister of state, Mines and Steel Development and former chief whip, House of Representatives. Popularly called ABB by his admirers, he was born on November 4, 1963, in Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State.

He had his primary education in Sokoto and Minna before proceeding to Government Secondary School, Suleja, where he obtained his GCE “O” Level in 1982. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geography (1986) and a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning (1990) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and is a registered member of both the Nigeria Institute of Town Planners and Town Planning Registration Council.

ABB has had varied working experience in the public and private sectors beginning with his appointment as a planning officer with the Niger State Ministry of Lands, Survey and Town Planning in 1988 and setting up his own practice, Tropical Design Associates in 1994. ABB is a consummate and successful businessman with investment in several business ventures such as Gamji-Tee Aluminium Company, Mercury Nigeria Limited, Interstate Property Development Company and Unipetrol Nigeria dealership.

He was elected member of the House of Representatives representing Suleja/Gurara/Tafa Federal Constituency in 1998 and subsequently became Chief Whip of the House, a position he served meritoriously over a period spanning 1999-2007. During his eventful period of service in the House, he was also elected as vice president, African, Caribbean, Pacific and European Union (ACP-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly and chairman of the planning committee ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in 2000. He was awarded Officer in the Order of Leopold (the highest honour bestowed on a foreigner) by His Majesty King Albert II of Belgium in 2004 and Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree by the City University of Los Angeles in 2004.