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Things are not as they should be even as members of the ruling All Progressives Congress hold their much awaited convention in Abuja, on Saturday, June 23, amidst unresolved crisis of confidence rocking the party

By Olu Ojewale

ALL is now set for the much awaited national conference of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abuja, holding on Saturday, June 23.

As part of the tradition, a new set of party officials will be elected on the day. At last count, no fewer than 160 aspirants were jostling for positions, lobbying the 6,800 delegates for support. Despite the high wire politics going on, not everyone appears to be thrilled about the prospects of the convention, which promises to be a make or mar for the party.

All appears not to be too well for the ruling party. Efforts by this Realnews reporter to get some of the big players in the party politics to give an insight about what is going on in the party met a brick wall. They claimed that it would not be right to grant an interview now as the party was still trying to resolve many issues agitating the mind of some members.

In any case, with the person like Shehu Sani, a senator representing Kaduna Central at the National Assembly, threatening to dump the party, it has, indeed, become obvious that the APC would be heading for a turbulent meeting if it fails to thrash out all the contending issues. On Monday, June 18, Sani gave a hint about his frustration at press conference, alleging the inability of leaders of the APC to address the internal crisis rocking the party in the past three years.

He charged: “So, APC stands on the foundation of injustice as it is to its members. It has not treated its members very well. It has failed to live up to its promises and pledges of a transparent internal democracy as a party.” The senator similarly made reference to the recent congresses held in the party across the country, saying a good number of them lacked credibility.

Indeed, many states under the control of the ruling party are still embroiled in battles of supremacy amongst its many factions. Among them are Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Kogi, Oyo, Rivers and many others.

The party is similarly heading to the convention without resolving the threats by members of the former new Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, to dump the party. On Tuesday, June 19, the Nation newspaper reported that contrary to speculation, President Muhammadu Buhari would not meet with members of the nPDP.

The nPDP is one of the blocks that formed the APC in 2014 – the main groups being Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, and All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP.

On May 9, the nPDP wrote a letter to the APC leadership, seeking a meeting within seven days, to address its grievances. The group accused the ruling party of marginalisation and threatened to defect to another party.

It also alleged harassment of its members by the federal government. The letter was signed by Kawu Baraje, leader of the group.

However, another group of ex-PDP members in the APC led by Abdullahi Adamu, a senator and Abdumumin Jibrin, a House of Representatives member in another letter, accused the Baraje group of insincerity and not representing the group.

Nevertheless, the APC leadership led by Lawal Shuaibu, deputy national chairman (North) met with the Baraje group.

According to media reports, a follow-up meeting was chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, where it was agreed that the nPDP team, which had Bukola Saraki, Senate president, and Yakubu Dogara, speaker, House of Representatives in attendance, should isolate the issues for discussion at the next meeting, which was yet to hold as at press time.

This, perhaps, prompted speculations that a meeting with the president was in the offing.

But the Nation newspaper said it learnt on Monday, June 18, that the president told a parley of party chiefs last week, that he would not be meeting with the nPDP leaders because “it is a party matter.”

Buhari, according to the newspaper, said he was not disposed to getting involved in the matter. He was quoted to have said: “I will not interfere.”

He reportedly told the governors at the meeting he had with them, that they as party leaders in the states “should deal with all issues as they are raised and where there is need, the party leadership can come in.”

In any case, the president was said to have endorsed the intervention by Osinbajo and encouraged same to continue. Apparently without any clear cut agreement, some members of the nPDP said they would like to boycott the national convention rather than walk out from the venue.

“We are waiting for our leaders to give us direction on whether or not to attend the National Convention. As at Monday, the Presidency and APC leadership have not addressed all our grievances.

“Instead, what we have experienced is the inclusion of some factional leaders of APC in some states in the National Convention Committee, NCC, which we considered insulting,” a member of the nPDP was quoted in the press as saying.

That notwithstanding, reports indicated that there had been marathon meetings to resolve crisis facing the party and rally supporters behind Buhari and resolve crisis facing the party. According to some party members who would not want to be quoted because they are not authorised to speak, there has also been intense horse-trading and on how to secure some of the eight key posts in the National Working Committee, NWC, for the presidency.

The key positions are namely, the national chairman; national secretary; deputy national chairman (North); deputy national chairman (South); national organising secretary; national publicity secretary; national women leader and national youth leader.

Indeed, The Punch newspaper reported on Thursday, June 21, that in a last-ditch effort to forestall a full-blown crisis, governors on the platform of the APC had similarly started a series of consultative meetings in Abuja.

The first in the series was said to have been held at the Imo State Governors’ Lodge, Asokoro, on Wednesday, June 20. Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who is also the chairman of the Progressives Governor’s Forum, hosted the meeting which had yet to start as of 8:00pm, which lasted for hours.

Prominent among the governors sighted at the meeting were Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Godwin Obaseki (Edo); Abubakar Bindow (Adamawa); Kashim Shettima (Borno) and Aminu Masari (Katsina).  Others were the deputy governors of Lagos and Kaduna states.

The outcome of the governor’s meeting was not disclosed. Neither the APC nor the Presidency has also released the outcome of the Bola Tinubu reconciliation committee appointed by Buhari. The president had in February Tinubu, a national leader of the party, to lead the reconciliation committee that would resolve the internal crisis within the party.

But even as the party convention is about few hours away, nothing much has been heard from the committee on its work.

This, perhaps, prompted Sani, who has been having a running battle with Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, his state, to declare on Monday, June 18, saying: “I can tell you confidently that our goods are now at the departure lounge of the APC and we are leaving the party because we can’t tolerate the embarrassment, but we are still giving the party time. It’s not me that will do it alone, but all people who felt that the party has not treated them well and there was not an attempt to address the issue.”

Interestingly, Sani wants to contest el-Rufai for the governorship seat at the next general elections. “I am going to contest for the governorship of Kaduna State, but if my stakeholders insist that I return for (to) the Senate, I am going to contest for the Senate.”

The rivalry between Sani and el-Rufai is one major thing tearing the APC apart in Kaduna State.

On the national scale, the ruling party is also faced with the problem of having the kind of the NWC that has the approval of the majority of the party members.

That looked a forlorn hope as last Wednesday, June 20, some supporters of Bukola Saraki, Senate president, reportedly kicked against the compilation of a ‘fake delegates’ list for the APC national convention.

Sulyman Buhari, the state APC publicity secretary, in a statement issued in Ilorin, on Wednesday, June 20, identified two unnamed groups as the perpetrators of the illegal act.

Buhari said: “We have it on good authority that a meeting held in the house of a chieftain of the party in GRA, Ilorin, wherein the decision to start compiling the fake list was taken. We are equally aware of another group, led by some Abuja-based politicians, which has even procured branded buses and banners, vests and Ankara, among others to be used by the fake delegates.

“They even went to the extent of making accommodation arrangements at Wuse area of Abuja for their delegates.”

Similarly, Daily Trust newspaper reported that there was disquiet in the South-East chapter of the party over an alleged ‘unity list’ ahead of the party convention.

It said some pockets of power brokers had emerged to ensure who got what from the South East zone during the national convention. Apart from the position of deputy women leader which had been zoned to Abia State, other important positions for the South East included the national organising secretary, national auditor and national vice chairman.

To realise the ambition, the South-East zone reportedly convened a meeting at the Ladi Kwali Hall, in Abuja, recently, where Orji Uzor Kalu, a former Abia State governor, announced an unanimous decision to return Osita Izunaso, George Moghalu and Emma Eneukwu as national organising secretary, national auditor and national vice chairman, respectively.

However, another source present at the Abuja, meeting dismissed the said endorsement, saying that the meeting was not only stormy, but poorly attended by the APC chieftains from the South East. He claimed that the option of endorsement had created dissention among the attendees.

“For instance, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, who attended the meeting left midway. He did not know the agenda of the meeting before coming and when he knew what they were up to, he left. He is not in support of the decision to adopt anybody.

“Rochas Okorocha is the only APC governor in the South East for now. Whether you like him or not, there is no way you can hold such an important meeting without his knowledge and you expect the decision from such meeting to be binding. Go and find out the details of what happened at the meeting,” the source said.

That notwithstanding, the idea of the unity list may be the harbinger to avert disunity in the party.

Daily Trust newspaper said the idea of a unity list was informed by the previous week’s meeting between Buhari and APC governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. “The unity list, it was gathered, was akin to the one floated by the PDP during its convention, last year, which was essentially mooted and endorsed by the party’s stakeholders,” the paper reported.

It was learnt that those that appeared in PDP’s unity list last year eventually won during the elections at the party convention held at the Eagle Square in Abuja.

But Abike Dabiri-Erewa, senior special assistant to the president on Diaspora Matters and member of the Publicity sub-committee of the APC, said there was nothing like unity list for the party.

Dabiri-Erewa, after a meeting of the convention committee, however, told the media on Monday, June 18: “We hear of the existence of a unity list. This is not true, there is no unity list. But of course consensus is allowed, affirmation is allowed. And, of course, as I said some people are running unopposed.

“There’s no such list as unity list, if you see any list, it is a fake list. The election will be held, and it will be free, fair and credible.”

As at press time, only 19 aspirants were said to have been disqualified from contesting various offices at the convention.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and chairman of the committee, disclosed this at last weekend ahead of the convention. He said the committee had not received any petition against aspirants vying for the positions of national chairman and national secretary.

Indeed, less than two days to the convention, Adams Oshimhole, a former governor of Edo State, emerged as the de facto national chairman of the party. Clement Ebri, a former governor of Cross River State and Osarhiemen Osunbor, a former governor of Edo State and professor of law, who had also shown interest in the position, formally withdrew from the race.

Ebri withdrew his candidature citing party concerns and “desire to ensure rancour-free convention.”

He stated in the letter that his decision to withdraw from the race came after due consultations with friends, family and associates in the interest of the party.

He, therefore, urged his supporters to transfer their support for his aspiration to Oshiomhole as national chairman of the APC.

“We should all render him every support and encouragement he needs as he and his team proceed to rebuild our party into a formidable, unified and inclusive organisation where every voice counts,” he said.

On Wednesday, June 20, Osunbor withdrew from the race and pledged his support for Oshiomhole, whom he said had what was required to lead the party to the next level.

In pledging for his support Osunbor told Oshimhole: “I appreciate the relationship which has existed between your family and mine over the years. I do not want this to destroy our relationship. I am happy the president is with you and majority of our party leaders are with you and I have great respect for Mr. President.

“I am stepping down for you and to support you because you are my brother, my friend and a man that is well respected across the country.”

In response, Oshiomhole, said: “I think we have a huge challenge ahead of the convention and we will need people like Osunbor to assist. I am happy you decided to withdraw because somehow I was worried due to the relationship we have enjoyed over the years.”

As far as the position of the APC national chairman goes now, Oshimhole who is the Presidency’s preferred candidate is now only waiting for his coronation.

Besides that, Premium Times reported that there were indications that members of the outgoing national working committee of the party seeking re-election had been asked to drop their ambitions, ahead of the national convention.

The paper named those affected as Mai Mala Buni, the national secretary; Lawan Shuaibu, deputy national chairman (North); national vice-chairmen such as Hilard Etta (South-South); Emma Eneukwu, (South-East); Osita Izunaso, national organising secretary and George Muoghalu, the national auditor.

In the same breath, it learnt that the president early in the month appealed to the governors who broke their fast with him to support Buni’s re-election bid.

But for Buni to clinch the position he has to contend with challenges from Waziri Bulama and Abdulrahman Terab, who are also contesting for the job.

In any case, Izunaso denied that he had received directive to jettison his interest.

On Thursday, June 21, candidates who had been cleared to contest for various national offices were given certificates for participation at the party’s convention secretariat in Abuja. On how delegates would emerge, Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, secretary of the convention committee, said: “There is a contest clearly. Where there is one candidate, they will either vote by affirmation or through voice vote. Everybody has a right to vote and to present himself to be voted for. So, the issue of consensus cannot come from us. The issue of consensus can either come from the candidates themselves or stakeholders front their different zones.”

According to Ndoma-Egba, 20 positions are unopposed but he speculated that there would be a lot of horse trading before the convention. Besides, he said: “Court cases will not prevent delegates from certain states, we have a number of court processes which we are reviewing and I am sure by this night a clear position will emerge.”

But at press time, nothing was heard from the party about the matter.

Nevertheless, Nigerians believe that the outcome of the convention would have a lasting effect on the party and the country.

Gerry Samuel, a businessman and analyst, said the convention was coming at the right time and that it would also showcase internal democracy of the APC. “It will also show Nigerians whether the party under the leadership of President Buhari can organise free and fair elections in 2019,” Samuel said.

Similarly, Bunmi, who refused to give a surname, said he hoped that the APC would be able to show that its house is in order. He also believes that the convention would be a barometer to judge how democratic the APC is.

Indeed, it would be a good thing to see that the ruling party is able mend its fences ahead of the convention, otherwise the party may start losing election right from the day of the convention.

– Jun. 22, 2018 @ 18:09 GMT |

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