APC dumps Gov. Ganduje, Amosun, Aregbesola, Lai Mohammed, others
All is still not well with the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the National body of the party inaugurated the chairmen of the factions it recognized, in the 34 states of the Federation. The inauguration which was held under tight security, may not be able to help the party in its quest to resolve all the crises which engulfed it, in the past few years and which led to the exit of the embattled former National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the emergence of the present Extra Ordinary convention committee led by Governor Mai Mala Buni.
The crises which had divided the party until President Mohammadu Buhari waded in, generated some animosities among party members and the last congresses in the states, further polarizing the parties as a result of the parallel congresses at ward, Local, and States levels.
The congresses were sort of big battles and power supremacy between the governors and Ministers in the states ruled by the party, while it was with the Ministers versus other elected members in other states not controlled by the party.
Up till now, there is still no love lost among the warring groups some of who had gone to court to challenge the outcome of the congresses and to get injunctions against the factions said to have been recognized by the party national body.
With the inauguration of chairmen of some factions, based on the recommendation of the reconciliation committee, led by the former Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu, which went round the states to reconcile aggrieved members, without result, tensions and apprehension seem to have been heightened as those not favored, have rejected the inauguration of the officials to man the party affairs in their respective states. The inauguration, therefore, created big losers and big winners who may see the decision of the party headquarters differently, thus compounding the problems.
As a sign that all is still not well, the chairman of the convention committee presently overseeing the party in Abuja, Governor Mai Mala Buni, was conspicuously absent at the ceremony, further fueling speculation of disagreement with the president.
While the states are having their crisis, the National body is facing something similar, as there exists a body, led by Prince Mustapha Adu, son of the late former Kogi State governor, Abubakar Audu, tackling it, which has also set up its own office and picked its officials, claiming that it has ceased to recognize the Buni led executive.
With all these developments no one is sure what will befall the APC which has turned to be a house of commotion, as it formally notified INEC of its convention on the 26th of February. Those said to be the losers are still ready to fight on and indication has emerged that the party would be witnessing more legal battles by some aggrieved states, which had not already gone to court.
The inauguration of the disputed factions in their states would now give them the leeway to challenge the party and the outcome could lead to some chairmen already sworn-in to lose their seats if those aggrieved are victorious in their lawsuits, which could affect the result of the convention. Observers believe that this may produce a repeat of the Zamfara debacle in 2019.
Notable aggrieved leaders regarded as losers include Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola against Governor Gbeyoga Oyetola (Osun), Minister of Information and Culture Lai Muhammed against the Kwara state Governor Abdurahman Abdulrasaq, Festus Keyamo, Minister of states for Labour and Employment against Deputy Senate President Omo Agege; Ogun state former governor Ibikunle Amosun, Zamfara state former governor, Abdulaziz Yari, and Senator Kabiru Marafa, Bayelsa, Yusuf Tugar, also affected are Kano state, where the governor, Abdullahi Ganduje lost out to Senator Abubakar Shekarau, Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Oyo, Ekiti, Lagos, Bauchi, among others.
The fear being expressed in some quarters is that the action of the national body could in no small way affects the party, and even the national convention slated for February; 26: 2022. It is was also learned that some of the losers could defect to other parties if they are not pleased with the present arrangements concerning the party’s executives.
The aggrieved members have reacted to the decision of the party to still carry out the inauguration of the chairmen despite controversies surrounding how they were handpicked, being the choice of the governors. They believed that the inauguration could still be a nullity after the court cases filed by various groups disenchanted with the ways the Buni’s committee conducted party affairs.
The spokesperson of the Aregbesola group on the losing side in Osun state, Lani Baderinwa said that they are optimistic that the Appeal on the suit regarding the state congresses would be their favorite. He argued that the Buni led executive should have waited for the outcome of all the court cases before inaugurating the chairmen.
Also, the Secretary of the group that is backed by Lai Muhammed, Mr. IsiakaAgboji berated the Adamu’s reconciliation team, as being bais in the remarks made, while on a peace mission in Ilorin.
He argued that ⁴Adamu should have been neutral in his remarks and approached the assignment with caution.
Senator Kabiru Marfan said the inauguration of the party’s chairman in Zamfara states is already a nullity because there is already a court case on it.
He condemned the attitude of the State governor, Bello Mattawalli on the matter. According to him, ” “Mattawale is wasting his time.
The favored chairman of the party in Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Famoodun, said that he has been inaugurated and remains the chairman of “our great party.”
On the controversy over the Buni’s committee said to have been removed by the group being led by Prince Adu, Dr. Aminu Isyaku, of the Coalition of the Progressive Youth, said the Buni committee is the only one that can conduct the Congress, while he described the Abdullahi Adamu led the team as “fake”.
