The Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Ali Bukar Dalori, has dismissed claims that the recent party meeting held in Maiduguri, Borno State, was aimed at endorsing or sidelining any political figure.
Naijaonpoint reports that Dalori spoke amid growing unease within the APC following the omission of Vice President Kashim Shettima’s photograph from a banner displayed at the North East zonal public hearing on proposed amendments to the party’s constitution.
The incident occurred on Monday at the event, which was attended by governors, party leaders and other stakeholders from the North East.
The banner showcased images of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the five APC governors from the zone and the party’s National Legal Adviser, but conspicuously left out Shettima, who is from Borno State.
The omission had earlier drawn a public complaint from the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, who described it as unfair and provocative.
Reacting to the development in an interview with Daily Trust on Monday night, Dalori said the controversy was being exaggerated.
“From all indications, some people are taking the comment by the Borno State Assembly speaker out of proportion.
“For me as the deputy national chairman who is also in charge of the 19 northern states, it was a harmless comment by the speaker,” he said.
Dalori stressed that there was no intention within the party leadership to undermine the Vice President.
“You all know my closeness to the VP. You also know the closeness of the APC chairman in Borno State to the VP. There is no way we could superintend or be part of any gathering where the VP will be undermined,” he said.
According to him, the Maiduguri meeting was strictly convened to deliberate on the party’s constitution and nothing else.
“The essence of the meeting in Maiduguri is to discuss the APC constitution and nothing more,” Dalori explained.
He added that the omission of Shettima’s photograph on the banner was most likely an oversight.
“The omission of Vice President Kashim Shettima in ...er could be an error of judgment, most likely by the organisers, and nothing more,” he said.