…says ‘we’ll fix issues as they arise’
- PDP, Imo, Oyo, Kano, Lagos factions still breathing hard
As preparations reach a fever pitch for the much-awaited National Convention of the All Progressives Congress, holding on Saturday, June 23, the party’s anointed chairmanship aspirant, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has given an assurance that the legion of crises in the party will not overwhelm him.
Oshiomhole, who is the immediate past governor of Edo State and a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, hinted, in an interview with our correspondent, that he was aware of the challenges facing the party and would face them headlong by tackling every problem as it appears.
Rationalising the various crises that have engulfed the APC, Oshiomhole said, “For now, the national leadership of the party, under Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is doing its best to resolve issues. Because, like I keep saying to people, you cannot have two chairmen at the same time. As we speak, the party has a leadership and it is their challenge to try and sort out the problems that have arisen, whether before, during, or after the congresses.
“I know they are doing something and I hope it will yield result. But as we say, a political party or government is also a continuum and conflict will always be endemic in the affairs of the people, particularly if it is founded on democratic principles. Now, what matters is that we will continue to interact with people and fix issues as they arise.”
The forthcoming convention, though an elective one, will surely determine the fate of APC in the immediate future. However, the competition for key positions, especially that of the national chairman, has been played down with the open support by President Muhammadu Buhari, state governors, and other key leaders of the party for Oshiomhole. This open support forced the incumbent chairman, Odigie-Oyegun, to withdraw from the race. As it is now, whoever is contesting against Oshiomhole at the convention is just seeking attention, as the ex-governor’s chairmanship seat appears to be a settled case.
As we speak, the party has a leadership and it is their challenge to try and sort out the problems that have arisen whether before, during or after the congresses. I know they are doing something and I hope it will yield result. But as we say, a political party or government is also a continuum…Now, what matters is that we will continue to interact with people and fix issues as they arise
However, there is a trailer load of complaints, protests and threat of possible break-up afflicting the party, The Point’s investigations have revealed. Discerning political observers have also seen that the past weeks had not been a pleasant period for the once envied party, as crises that erupted from its ward, local government and state congresses were far from being resolved.
It seems inconvertible that the parallel party congresses witnessed in many states are nothing but manifestations of various problems in the APC, which would likely be amplified in the forthcoming 2019 elections. Indeed, they are issues that may mar the national convention coming up on Saturday. These problems, according to observers, are offshoots of major issues, which have plagued the party overtime.
APC’S SIX MAJOR PROBLEMS
The root cause of the APC internal crises, it was gathered, can be traced to these six factors: state governors who want to control everything and everyone; ex-governors who want to control incumbent governors and the state legislature; second-term governors fighting incumbent senators for senate-seat tickets; senators who want to become governors; state and federal lawmakers, who are unsure of their return tickets and who feel victimised by either the state or federal government, or both; and finally, party faithful and stakeholders who feel sidelined by the state or Federal Government.
Everyone is watching out for the central drama that must unfold: the reaction of the aggrieved party members; those who were allegedly sidelined during the just-concluded congresses, during and or immediately after the convention. The chaotic situation that prevailed penultimate Monday when the National Chairman, Odigie-Oyegun, swore in the state chairmen of the party at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja; all of which could be a prelude to what is to be expected during the convention.
THE nPDP PULL-OUT THREAT
One aggrieved group within the party whose decision on Saturday will definitely affect the party’s chances in next year’s election is the new Peoples Democratic Party. It is common knowledge that, penultimate week, the nPDP pulled out of a planned meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, in protest against the withdrawal of some Department of State Services operatives attached to the four principal officers of the National Assembly, principally Saraki and Dogara, who are members of the nPDP.
It is possible that the nPDP, which is a faction of the ruling party that left the PDP in 2013; to team up with the APC for the 2015 elections, may take the same action against the APC as the party prepares for the 2019 general elections.
On May 7, this year, the group wrote to the APC National Chairman, listing several grievances they have against the party. They demanded a meeting with Oyegun and President Muhammadu Buhari within seven days. They also complained that despite the key role they played in bringing APC to power in 2015, they were neglected in the scheme of things by the administration.
However, one of the aggrieved nPDP members, Kawu Baraje, said the members wrote the letter because they were ready for peace talks, but added that if the party decided to act otherwise and “call our bluff”, the nPDP would then take a decision. Principally, what will be the decision of the nPDP, when that decision will be taken, and where such a decision will lead the members to, are the issues agitating the minds of concerned party men and political watchers. Unofficial sources informed The Point that the nPDP members had made up their minds to dump the APC and return to the PDP.
IMO CRISIS
In Imo State, the governor is in limbo as his faction is not recognised by the National Working Committee of the party. The APC national chairman has already sworn in Dr. Hilary Eke, a candidate of the Deputy Governor’s faction of the Imo APC, as the authentic Chairman of the party in Imo State. The inauguration was done in Abuja. Recent developments in Imo, however, showed that the official ceremony might only be the beginning of the final showdown in the intricate disagreement among the top leaders of the state’s chapter of the party.
The factional chairman, Chris Oguoma, has refused to vacate the party’s state secretariat after Eke’s swearing-in, as he insists that the matter had not yet been resolved.
The big question therefore is: will Governor Rochas Okorocha remain in the party, having lost out in the struggle for the control of party executive in the state? Will he defect to the All Progressives Grand Alliance? These questions would be answered at the convention or shortly after.
KANO, LAGOS, OYO ALSO EMBROILED…
In Kano State, the crisis in the APC lingers, although party heavyweights have resolved to wade in for fear of a contagious spill to other states, especially among those in neighbouring northwest. The crisis is a result of a face-off between the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and the former governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, now Senator representing Kano Central, and is the manifestation of a rivalry that had remained mute for a while.
Also, in Lagos, the APC Chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, has denied any directive from the National Chairman of the party stopping state party chairmen from inaugurating their executive members. But the factional party chairman in Lagos State, Fouad Oki, has faulted the action in a statement he issued in Lagos.
Oki accused Odigie-Oyegun of having been compromised and said his group would do everything possible to challenge “the illegality”.
He said, “I am certain we have not heard the last of this. Truth is, we knew they were going to do what they did because the Oyegun-led NWC is full of weaklings. But we are undaunted in our resolve and we will continue to show resilience on the struggle to free our people from the shackles of a bigot.”
Will Oki’s faction, which has the National Legal Adviser of the party, Dr. Muiz Banire, as member, approach the court, or leave the party? Time will tell.
In Oyo State, the Unity Forum, led by the Minister of Communication, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, and which comprises the three senators and seven members of the House of Representatives, is already threatening to defect, if the party fails to give them their rightful positions in the party.
Generally, how will the party resolve the conflicting issues before proceeding with the convention in order to avoid a divided house? Or will it pretend that all is well and hold its convention under such acrimonious situation? These are the questions on the lips of political analysts.
Speaking with The Point, the Chairman of the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission, who is also the APC National Convention Secretary, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba said, “We will do our best to resolve all aggrieved issues before the convention and we are opening the windows to accommodate all complaints and get them resolved.”
Nigerians are waiting.
