The Progressive Governors’ Forum has promised to wade in the conflict between the ruling All Progressives Congress and the presiding leaders of the National Assembly over the choice of principal officers.
The National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu on Tuesday had disowned the principal officers announced by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
Adamu, had hinted that the appointment was a ‘rumour’ at the crucial meeting of the National Working Committee and the governors, said the party has not officially communicated with the presiding officers.
On Tuesday Akpabio had named Opeyemi Bamidele(Ekiti Central) as the10th Senate Majority Leader, Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South) as Deputy Majority Leader, Ali Ndume (Borno South) as Chief Whip, and Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) as the Deputy Whip.
The governors believed the action was a result of a communication gap between the party and the party’s high-ranking legislators
Addressing newsmen after their meeting with the NWC, the PGF Chairman and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, promised that the PGF will resolve the conflict with the aid of the APC internal mechanism.
He said, “Don’t let us misquote him. The chairman never said that they (Akpabio and Abbas) are on their own. The National Assembly leadership belongs to our great party and they enjoy our support.
“If there is a communication gap anywhere, we will make it up. We have our internal mechanism for resolving such things. The National Assembly leadership enjoys the support of the Progressives Governors Forum of our party. We don’t have any problem at all.
“We congratulated ourselves in the way and manner the leadership of the National Assembly election was conducted. We now have a Senate President, his Deputy Senate President, Speaker and his deputy who we are very confident will do well,” he stated.
The Imo governor also debunked the report that Adamu has handed the audited account of the APC for scrutiny ahead of the National Caucus meeting slated for July 10.
“In the course of the conversation, the chairman did mention that in keeping with the Electoral Act, they (NWC) are working on having an audited account that will be presented at the national caucus meeting. It was just mentioned. It has not been presented,” he said.
Present at the meeting were Governors Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Mohammed Bago (Niger), Uba Sani (Kaduna) and Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Nasir Idris (Kebbi).