The All Progressives Congress has disclosed that the unceremonious exit of its former National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, has nothing to do with alleged financial impropriety.
Rising from its 128th National Working Committee meeting, the APC explained that its proposed appointment of external auditors was not to probe any member of the party.
A former APC National Vice Chairman for North-West, Salihu Lukman, had accused Adamu and Omisore of squandering N30bn realised from the sale of nomination forms for the 2023 elections.
But addressing journalists on Tuesday, the new National Secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said there was a need to clear the air to avoid misconception in the public.
He said,
“I think it is good to say we should not misrepresent the reasons for resignation of our chairman. I don’t know where you got the financial recklessness you are talking about, with due respect.
“On the issue of external auditors, it has been the routine of our party to appoint external auditors and it is a standard procedure and practices everywhere. It has nothing to do with the resignation of any officer of our party.
“And if you go back, there has not been a year that the party account has not been audited by external auditors.”
The former spokesman for the ninth Senate was accompanied to the media parley by National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka, and Deputy National Women Leader, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim.
In his remarks, Morka said consultations were ongoing on how to fill the vacant leadership positions in the party’s NWC.
He said,
“Regarding the questions on the vacancies in the NWC, as you can imagine, we just came off NEC a few days ago and consultations are ongoing at the moment. I think that in due course, we will be considering the question of filling the remaining vacant positions in the NWC.”