Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, has said that he has only been acting as the acting chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), amidst reports that Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, have been removed by President Muhammadu Buhari from superintending the affairs of the party.

Bello, who made his position known after presiding over a ceremony to administer oath of office on state chairmen of the party on Monday in Abuja, said he has been operating as acting national chairman of the APC since Governor Buni travelled.

He said: “The states chairmen, they took their oath of office today and we discussed progress made so far on convention and what needs to be done next so that we will achieve the March 26 date for Convention.”

When asked the capacity he presided over the meeting, Bello added: “Acting Chairman. I have been acting for a while since the Chairman traveled.”

The Star had earlier reported that Governor Bello held an emergency meeting with some members of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC ahead of his assumption of the leadership of the party.

Bello on Monday arrived the national secretariat of the party and took over the chairman’s seat.

The Niger governor arrived at about 12p.m. and went straight to the National Working Committee (NWC) Hall.

When Bello came, he also parked his official vehicle at the designated parking lot of the “National Chairman”.

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He was soon followed by the National Secretary of the CECPC, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, who came into the secretariat at 12:07 p.m.

A source told The Star that nine of the 12 CECPC members were present at the meeting presided over by Governor Bello.

President Buhari was reported to have sanctioned Buni’s removal as chairman.

The Yobe State governor travelled abroad last week.

Buni was expected back in the country on Monday.

Earlier, the National Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Sen. Akpanudoedehe, had denied any leadership change in the party’s caretaker committee.

In a statement on Monday, Akpanudoedehe described the media report about leadership change in the APC as fake news, urging members of the party and the general public to disregard the report.

It would be recalled that Buni took over the leadership of the party in June 2020 following the sack of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee.

The Star