Lawmakers threaten to shun Niger APC ‘endorsement’ rally

A unity rally scheduled for February 18, by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State may run into a hitch.This followed the threat by eight National Assembly lawmakers from the state, to shun the planned ‘endorsement’ of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello and President Muhammadu Buhari at the rally.The Guardian leant that the lawmakers involved are a senator and seven House of Representatives members from the state.

They were said to have informed the party leadership that they would not attend the unity rally, because it would not be healthy for the APC to waive primaries for aspirants into various positions.The state APC Secretary, Mohammed Liman, told journalists in Minna that the proposed rally is a follow-up to the peace meeting, which the party held in Abuja to resolve the disagreement between the lawmakers with the governor.Liman disclosed that the meeting was to settle the rift between the governor and the lawmakers.

According to him: “All of them (lawmakers), except Senator David Umar, whom we were told was engaged in a legislative assignment, were in attendance.“Further to the Abuja reconciliation meeting, the APC scheduled February 18, for the unity rally in Minna, where members from across the state are expected to gather to brainstorm and chart a way forward.”

President Buhari is expected to attend the rally, which would coincide with his official visit to the state.He would also commission a 10-kilometer road, which, though was started by the previous administration, but was completed by Bello.

As part of the settlement, the governor had allegedly promised to give the lawmakers automatic ticket to the National Assembly in return for supporting their re-election.

After the Abuja peace meeting, the Senator representing Niger North district, Sabi Abdullahi, was allegedly mandated to appease the aggrieved lawmakers.It was, however, learnt that the aggrieved lawmakers might defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).