Ahead of March 26 National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, has reportedly thrown his weight behind the Senate Services Committee chairman, Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), on his aspiration for the position of national chairman.

Fayemi’s purported position is coming in the wake of a statement by a former speaker of the Kwara House of Assembly, Mr Benjamin Yisa, that Mustapha is the state’s ‘unity candidate’ for the APC chairmanship at national level.

Yesterday, Fayemi reportedly promised to give his full support to Musa’s ambition to become the national chairman of APC.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti when he received the senator in his office, the governor, who was said to have offered a warm reception, said that his visitor has what it takes in ability, experience and charisma to move the ruling party to the next level.

Musa, a frontline national chairmanship aspirant of the APC for next month’s national convention of the party, was in Ekiti State alongside members of his campaign team in furtherance of his consultation to party leaders and stakeholders within the party on his aspiration to lead the APC.

An elated Fayemi, who was full of praise for his visitor, said with Musa’s pedigree and antecedents which he personally dug up on his own, he was more convinced that the Niger East senator is armed with the requisite leadership qualities to lead the APC and sustain its electoral fortunes.

Fayemi, who disclosed that prior to Musa’s visit, he had been inundated with calls and accusation, alongside another governor, that he was one prompting Musa forward for the chairmanship, said, “I appreciate you for coming down to Ado-Ekiti to visit me. While I can assure you of my support for your ambition to lead our great party, I need to also emphasise that we have a leader in President Muhammadu Buhari, and whatever Mr President decides at the end of the day, is what we will all abide by, including you and me.”
Earlier, the senator and Fayemi had had very robust and fruitful discussions on the need to further reposition the APC as a party with the right leadership.
They also brainstormed on topical issues of national importance bordering on this month’s national convention and the post-President Buhari era and what it portrays for the APC during the next election – especially the President’s 12 million votes, as well as how key party leaders can play their part by scaling up their support base that will translate into meaningful votes for the APC.

According to him, the president had committed so many efforts in making the APC a national party for all and a force to reckon with, just as he also harped on the importance of making the APC a vibrant democratic institution that grooms leaders, formulate policy and ultimately, win elections.

The senator added, “It is my view that when those elected in government are doing their jobs. Political parties should be busy working, organising retreats, exchange programmes, party conferences, and peer reviews, which in my candid opinion, are more important than only waiting for elections or congress period to surface alone.

“In addition to this, one of the cardinal focal points that is dear to me personally is to strive to adapt to this affiliative and participatory system where everyone will have a sense of belonging in the party.”

Yisa, who is also the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, said Mustapha enjoys the blessings of all tendencies in the APC in Kwara State.

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He stressed that, if elected, Mustapha would solidify the party on the strength of his goodwill amongst the tendencies.

The former speaker stated this in Ilorin on the sideline of a Personality Public Lecture organised in Mustapha’s honour by the Postgraduate Students Association of Nigeria, University of Ilorin (Unilorin) chapter, on Tuesday.

He said Mustapha has a history of a cordial relationship with virtually all major stakeholders of the party, starting with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

The former speaker also said that the senators representing the three districts in the state and the two ministers from the state, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Senator Gbemisola Saraki, among others, also support Mustapha’s aspiration.“This is unlike other states in the North-Central, where there are multiple candidates from the same state. Niger and Nasarawa are ready examples.

“So, among all the contestants from the North-Central, he is the only one with the most formidable state backing that cut across all interest blocks.”