Caretaker Comtt: Nasarawa APC Stakeholders At Loggerhead With Governor Sule

BY AHMED TUKUR, LAFIA – Stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State on Thursday failed to take a decision on the nomination of a new chairman of the party in the state to lead the Party Caretaker Committee.

The meeting which was held in Government House and lasted for over three hours, was convened by Governor Abdullahi Sule towards finding a replacement for the late Chairman of the APC, Philip Shekwo, who was brutally assassinated by gunmen three weeks ago.

The replacement is in compliance with the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC directing for the setting up of a Caretaker Committee expected to be sworn in today (Friday).

The stakeholders however mandated Governor Sule to nominate the chairman within an hour adding that the nominee must come from the same zone with the late chairman and must also be a Christian who is a committed member of the party.

Although the stakeholders attended the meeting, they were however careful on the nomination of the new chairman to avoid different interest with that of the governor.

Checks revealed that some of the stakeholder’s decision followed their displeasure with the way the governor is running the affairs of the state by not carrying them along and his alleged refusal to patronize them or their supporters since after the 2019 general elections in the state.

Some of the party chieftains are also believed to be planning towards the 2023 general election and therefore trying to avoid traps and pitfalls that might consume their ambition.

Other are of the view that despite number of vacancy within the government, the administration is yet to make appointment of key APC supporters as replacement especially the vacant Permanent Secretary positions and other agencies whose tenure expired.

Earlier, Governor Sule told the gathering that the meeting had only one agenda which is the ratification of the Caretaker Committee and to agree on the new chairman, adding that Nasarawa State will adopt the state existing Executive as caretaker following the resolution of the NEC of the party.

Sule said; “Nasarawa State has no problem with the executive members of party. So, we will adopt the existing structure from the Ward to the state but will only nominate a chairman who will be representing us in Abuja”.