The protracted crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress reached its height when the National Executive Committee of the party, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, June 25, 2020, dissolved the Adams Oshiomhole–led National Working Committee of the party.
The ordinary street analysts immediately went to work to say that the dissolution was meant to spite former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu. Both President Buhari and Tinubu have, however, come out, through the issuance of statements, that there is no rift between them and that the dissolution was in the best interest of the party.
While one may not necessarily rubbish the view that the removal of Oshiomhole, who was seen as having been installed by Tinubu in 2018, may have hampered the permutation or scheming by Tinubu to have an easy run in the primary that will produce the party’s presidential candidate in 2023, what happened on June 25 may be more than that.
Political analysts and watchers of political events in the country believe that the first question that should be asked is: who was behind Victor Giadom, who came to the limelight immediately the Court of Appeal upheld the suspension of Oshiomhole as the party’s chairman. Anybody who thought Giadom’s claim to the Acting Chairmanship position of the party was a child’s play would have been more shocked and confused when the National Executive Committee meeting called by him was well attended by the President and the APC governors.
Anybody who thought Giadom’s claim to the Acting Chairmanship position of the party was a child’s play would have been more shocked and confused when the National Executive Committee meeting called by him was well attended by the President and the APC governors
The Point reliably gathered that the reality on the ground in the ruling party, as of today, is that a new powerful bloc has emerged in governors and ex- governors of the party.
It was further gathered that this bloc would play an important role in who emerges as the Presidential candidate of the party in 2023.
An inside source within the party and the presidency informed our correspondent that President Buhari had so many friends among the Governors’ bloc and that when the time comes, he might have to bend towards one of them.
Many political analysts with foresight have concluded that both the Governors’ bloc and the President will play a key role in who will be the presidential candidate.
Speaking with The Point, an Abuja-based political analyst/public affairs commentator, Tunde Ojo, said the appointment of Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State as the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Committee of the party reinforced this position.
It was gathered that the APC governors who had lobbied leaders of the party on the need to allow the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, to go for a second term despite his frosty relationship with Oshiomhole, received a rude shock when he was disqualified. They immediately stepped in, according to findings, to avoid such in Ondo where Akeredolu is also seeking a second term.
The governors, it was further gathered, felt infuriated and worked for the dissolution of the National Working Committee.
Recall that Giadom, after announcing himself as the Acting National Chairman, cancelled the Edo Governorship screening, which disqualified Obaseki. It was gathered that this would have been the option had Obaseki not resigned his membership of the APC and joined the PDP.
Speaking on the development, a Benin-based Public Affairs commentator, Joe Osaretin, said the APC governors had practically taken over the party.
Osaretin said, “Recall that there is no love lost between the governors and Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole was saved earlier by the Presidency when the governors moved against him. But they still found a way round to get him dusted.
“It is clear from what has happened so far that the governorship forum of the party has emerged as a strong bloc and it will determine who gets what in 2023. That I can tell you for free.”
Also speaking, Comrade Sola Olawale, who is a member of the Campaign for Democracy in Ogun State, said those who were saying 2023 was far away were not saying the truth.
He said, “As far as I know, preparation for the next election commences the day after an election. All that is happening in the APC are the underbelly of 2023 presidential election. As far as I am concerned, anybody who wants to contest should make his intention known now. Permutation as to who gets what, and at what cost, is already playing out.
“Those who are saying Tinubu has been badly hit with the removal of Oshiomole should know that 24 hours is a very long time in politics. I, however, agree that the incumbent President will have a leading role in the emergence of his successor in 2023. The President has tremendous power, even outside his party. Wherever or whoever he bends towards, many will read his body language and nobody will want to offend or differ with the President’s position in the party.”
Another issue that is currently generating concern is how to zone the NWC positions in the forthcoming Convention of the party. While the online media is awash with different zoning arrangements, the Buni-led Caretaker Committee of the party has said that it has not arrived at any zoning arrangement.
Many of the six geo-political zones are afraid of taking the Chairmanship position and this also has the 2023 undertone. Most of the zones, especially the three geo-political zones in the South, believe that the Presidency will come from the South in 2023 and are not keen on the party’s chairmanship job.
The year 2023 may be a bit longer, but the power play in the APC has already reached a feverish point and it may be the beginning of an unending crisis in the party.
