Niger APC chairman resigns

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger, Alhaji Zakari Jikantoro, has resigned his position as the chairman of the party.

He announced his resignation on Friday in Minna after briefing the state party executive members of the resolutions taken at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Jikantoro said his decision to resign as the chairman of the party was voluntary and in the best interest of the party.

He said that his resignation had nothing to do with what transpired at the NEC meeting.

I, on my own, humbly and voluntarily wish to resign my position as the chairman of the APC in Niger.

“This is the reason why I invited the media to come and cover the meeting.

“I don’t have issues with my colleagues; here we are seated, and you can see the special adviser on politics to the governor here seated.

“I have had wide consultations before taking this decision. It is a way of adding value to the party.

“So, there is no crisis like people will think; there is no fighting; it is just a voluntary resignation,” he said.

He said that what happened on Thursday at the NEC meeting and what was happening in the state hadnothing to do with his decision to resign.

Jikantoro saidthat the Zonal Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Bobi, would act as the party chairman until a substantive chairman was elected.

In an interview, Bobi promised to strengthen and revive the party.

Also speaking, Alhaji Nma Kolo, Special Adviser, Political, to the Governor, said that there was no division between the chairman and the party.

Kolo added that the party chairman summoned a meeting with officials of the state government, where he broke the news of his resignation.

He said that after much deliberation, Gov. Umar Bago of Niger accepted his resignation, adding that his resignation would add value to the party.