APC May Shift National Convention Over Parallel State Executives

All is not well with the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, following reports that threats being posed by parallel state executives could scuttle the February 26th planned National Convention.

THE WHISTLER gathered from reliable sources in the Caretaker Committee that there was suggestion during its last 2-day meeting for a compromise to enable the party shift the National Convention date to March.

According to one of the sources, holding the party’s convention with the party’s primary election was also suggested and discussed but it was knocked down on the basis of likely opposition  from party chieftains who have accused the Caretaker Chairman, Mai Mala Buni of pursuing his personal interest at the expense of party cohesion.

Buni is also the governor of the troubled Yobe State in North East Nigeria, a state  under serious insurgency where thousands had been reportedly killed and over one million displaced.

However, the source, asserting the possibility of postponement of the convention was very high, revealed that what transpired during the meeting last week could be verified from the minutes book of the party unless expunged deliberately.

He said, “I am telling you in confidence that the committee discussed various topics. One of the suggestions was the fate of the party if it proceeded to hold its convention.

“There are about ten states with parallel executives. Which will the party recognize? There are also states in court, what happens if the decisions of the courts come after the convention and it’s different?

“The fear of facing court cases and defections were also discussed. So it’s not about holding the convention but holding it within the provision of the law, rancour-free and in a manner that will boost the party ahead of the election.”

Since the 2021 state congresses, APC has been embroiled in crises in some states. There were parallel congresses which produced parallel state executives.

In Rivers State, the minister of transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi-led camp held their congress and elected Mr Emeka Beke as Chairman, while Senator Magnus Abe -led faction also held their congress and elected Mr Golden Chioma as their Chairman.

Delta State also has two factions, one led by Deputy Senate President, Mr Ovie Omo-Agege, and the other led by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo.

 The APC national leadership recognizes the Omo-Agege-led faction with Mr Omeni Sobotie as its state Chairman-elect. The Keyamo’s faction elected Mr Chukwusa Edafe.

Similarly, in Bauchi State, two factions led by the Minister of Education, Mr Adamu Adamu, and the Nigeria Ambassador to Germany, Mr Yusuf Tugar are struggling for control of the party.

But Adamu, a close ally to President Muhammadu Buhari ,has the upper hand with the party’s national leadership recognizing his ally, Mr Babayo Misau.

In Kwara State, the governor, Mr Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman and the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, are also fighting over control of the party but the national leadership of the party recognises the governor’s faction led by Mr Fagbemi Adeniran.

In Kano State, the state governor, Mr Abdullahi Ganduje and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau are equally battling for control. But the court has recognized the Shekarau-led faction leading to fears that the governor, a longtime aide and ally of former governor of the state, Mr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, could defect to the PDP.

The story is not different in Cross River state where the governor’s anointed state chairman-elect, Mr Alphonsus Eba, is being opposed by the Koko Dan-led faction, who insists that Eba was not qualified as he decamped from the PDP to the APC the same month he was chosen as APC chairman.

He said it’s against the party’s constitution, which stipulates that returning members or new members must join the party for six months before being eligible to contest any position in the party. The case is in court.

Similarly, in Osun State, the state governor, Mr Gboyega Ayetola, is being opposed by the Minister of Interior, who’s a former governor of the state, his predecessor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, with both having their anointed state executives.

Consequently, the party is in court over the conduct of the state congresses in Cross River, Rivers, Delta, Kano, Osun, Ekiti, Bauchi and other states to know which of the factions are the authentic state executives.

To resolve these crises, the party created a reconciliation committee headed byr Senator Abdullahi Adamu but has been unable to resolve the crisis in any of the states.

But while the meeting of the Caretaker Committee chaired by Buni has been divided over convention date, the Buni-led faction—which is seeking postponement– fears that the party will face bigger threat because of unresolved crises at state levels if the convention holds as planned, especially with the possibilities that new crisis may crop up.

Already, the party has backed down on arriving at a consensus to elect its national chairman, just like the PDP did in October 2021.

It was suggested that it would be better to explain carefully to party members why the convention should not hold in February but must hold separately from its presidential primary, at which time the party would have resolved its crises.

Also, the party would be in a better position to arrive at a consensus national chairman, it was noted.

This arrangement, which the source said was a compromise from Buni, was shot down, leaving Buni to okay preliminary programme of events for the convention.

The committee is also facing crisis on the make- up of the sub- committees for the convention, especially some newly defected members from the PDP.

A source revealed that the members contemplated appointing former Minister of Aviation and one-time Buhari critic, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, as chairman of its publicity sub-committee but that was rejected by members.

He added that lobbying is still going on to appoint Fani-Kayode to chair the publicity sub-committee as he “knows the PDP very well, their secrets and he’s vocal,” regardless of what people may think, “as he will give PDP a run for their money.”

Also, there are intrigues from presidential hopefuls on the platform of the party, who want their loyalists to chair and have their influence on the convention. That’s also delaying the composition of the list.

The source explained that the entire development “is casting doubts whether the convention will hold because a member may come out with a court injunction tomorrow and we are back to square one.”