The refusal of Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC to support the plot to sack Governor Mai Mala Buni as the party’s acting national chairman almost cost him his job, it was gathered.

On Thursday, 17th March a leaked memo signed by 10 of 12 members of the APC Caretaker Committee disclosed that a vote of no confidence was passed on Akpanudoedehe.

A member of the CECPC, Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, disclosed to journalists in an unsigned statement that the decision was “in the best interest of the party”.

Findings by DAILY INDEPENDENT, however, revealed that the ‘Vote of no confidence’ is not unconnected with the events of the first meeting chaired by the then Acting CECPC Chairman and Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello.

It was also gathered that a serving Minister in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet who is from the same zone as Akpanudoedehe is also behind the plot to force him out of his position as APC Secretary.

A senior party official present at the meeting disclosed to our correspondent how Akpanudoedehe refused to append his signature to certain documents, particularly the rejected letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) convening an emergency APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which would have countered the authority of Governor Mai Mala Buni, the CECPC National Chairman who was out of the country on a medical leave and aided his ouster in what was a carefully plotted palace coup.

“As widely reported in the media, Akpanudoedehe stormed out of the inaugural meeting chaired by the then CECPC Acting Chairman and reports were wrongly spread in the media that he had resigned. Akpanudoedehe promptly denied resigning.

“Recall that shortly into the acting National Chairman’s tenure subtle intrigues began to play out, and along with other members of the Caretaker Committee, a plot to oust the substantive Chairman began to unfold. The conspirators masked their plot behind a desire for the Party to accelerate activities in its march towards the National Convention, and sponsored allegations of the Party’s slow progress.

“Akpanudoedehe was reportedly induced with a mouth watering offer but refused to play along in the coup plot,” the source said.

The APC scribe had countered those behind the plot to remove Buni, accusing them of betrayal. He also told journalists that he won’t be part of the plot as it would have amounted to “stabbing the Party’s Chairman in the back”.

Buni who had since returned to the country also met with Akpanudoedehe on Friday, thereby dispelling the rumour of his purported sack. (Saturday Independent)

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