APC crisis: Ganduje faces tough battle in race to national chairmanship

<p>Once again, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is in another leadership crisis, presenting the first test to President Bola Tinubu on how he will manage the party.</p>, <p>Reports have emerged that President Tinubu has penned down his loyal ally, former Governor Umar Ganduje as his preferred candidate for the chairmanship of the party.</p>, <p>However, the path may not be a smooth one for Ganduje because of the division within the National Working Committee of the party and zoning arrangement, DAILY POST learnt.</p>, <p></p>, <p>The crisis within the party has been brewing for months, and the climax was the sudden departure of the National Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu and the National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore on Monday.</p>, <p>But the departure of the two has not healed the crisis in the party because the NWC is divided along those in the camp of Adamu and Abubakar Kyari, who is the Acting National Chairman of the party.</p>, <p>Since the departure of Adamu, those loyal to him have either joined Kyari’s camp or kept quiet to avoid being sidelined within the party.</p>, <p>One of the NWC members from South-east, who spoke with DAILY POST, faulted the emergence of Kyari as “Acting Chairman”.</p>, <p>“Kyari is from the same state as Vice President Kashim Shettima (Borno)— having someone in the North-central would be the ideal situation,” the source said on condition of anonymity.</p>, <p>However, section 14.2 of the APC constitution backs the decision of Kyari to take the position with the exit of Adamu.</p>, <p>“The Deputy Chairman (North and South)….Shall act as the National Chairman in the absence of the National Chairman from his Zone,” section 14.2 reads.</p>, <p></p>, <p>President Tinubu faced accusations of sidelining the North-central during the composition of the leadership of the National Assembly by giving the North-west Speaker and Deputy Senate President. But some supporters justified the arrangement considering that the North-central had the National Chairman. The President subsequently added