Politics

APC Crisis: Why Buhari’s Late Intervention May Not Save Party

Published

2 years ago

March 14, 2022

Editor

The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, seems not to be nearing any end soon.

President Muhammadu Buhari had a few days ago reportedly approved the removal of Mai Mala Buni as the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee and ordered Governor Bello Sani of Niger State to take over the affairs of the party.

The decision of the President to intervene in the affairs of the party has set off reactions that threaten the planned national convention.

Rather than members of the party to close ranks, the tussle within the party has intensified. Last week, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State called some APC governors “yahoo yahoo”, while Buni and Bello have been engaging in power tussles.

Governor Nasir El-rufai had also claimed that the President had approved the removal of Buni and alleged that the Yobe State governor was a victim of certain persons within the party.

El-rufai, while speaking on Politics Today on Channels TV, said the Buni-led committee had received a court order barring it from carrying out the convention, but refused to make the order public.

Further, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had rejected the notice of NEC meeting of the party, unless Buni signs the letter of notification.

El-rufai also claimed the President had given the governors the name of the preferred candidate for the position of National Chairman and the man is from North Central. According to several sources, the former Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Adamu is the prefered choice of the President.

Tanko Almakura, also a former governor of Nasarawa State, and a contender for the position of National Chairman, has refused to back down for Buhari’s choice.

In the midst of this crisis, President Buhari in a statement by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, stirred the nest, when he said the APC is drifting towards the path of the PDP, a party he said failed for 16years and also failed in opposition.

Austin Okai, a member of the PDP, flayed the President for the comment, noting that the PDP has been able to always resolve its crisis because it has an internal conflict resolution mechanism.

Okai said: “The man (Buhari) is clueless about the situation in the country. What is the direction for that statement? We have been able to manage our crisis. We have held several conventions. Is the President not aware that Buni is receiving salaries as Governor and party head. Your ability to manage misunderstandings is what distinguishes you.”

How PDP has been able to deal with its crisis and the approach of the APC in conflict resolution:

The PDP has had 16 National Chairpersons between 1998 till date. While in power, the party had 10 chairmen in 17years (1998 when the party was formed to 2015 when it lost out).

During PDP’s stay in power, presidents played prominent roles in the appointment and removal of Chairmen from office. Audu Ogbe was reported to have been asked to resign by President Obasanjo. In all, Obasanjo used 4 chairpersons in 8years.

The tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan witnessed the unprecedented turnover of Chairmen; Vincent Ogbulafor, Okwesilieze Nwodo, Haliru Mohammed, Bamangar Tukur and Adamu Muazu.

While the APC in 8years of existence, has had five National Chairmen, Bisi Akande, John Oyegun, Adams Oshiomole, Buni and Bello. All were forced out, except Bisi Akande.

Recent internal strife in both parties…

Since becoming the opposition party in 2015, the PDP has had two major crises at the national level: Alimodu Sheriff and Uche Secondus.

The brief stint of former governor Sheriff almost caused the party to disintegrate in the aftermath of the 2015 election.

Sheriff, who was invited by the PDP to help rebuild the party after the defeat at the poll in 2015, soon had a fallout with the PDP governors.

It took the verdict of the Supreme Court in 2017 to finally remove Sheriff as the Chairman of the Party. He had approached the court to ask that Sen Ahmed Makarfi’s election at the Port Harcourt convention be nullified.

Another crisis that rocked the party was on the part of Uche Secondus. The former Chairman had a fallout with his erstwhile benefactor, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

After his (Secondus) suspension by his ward, the party was engulfed in crisis, and legal action threatened the planned convention of the party.

The governors of the party had to unite to conduct a convention. Many have hailed the PDP’s ability to resolve internal strife, an ability the APC seems to lack

APC and reluctant Buhari

The first substantive chairman of the APC, John Oyegun was forced out of the party after falling out with Bola Tinubu over the governorship primaries that produced Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.

In a strongly-worded statement, Tinubu said “Oyegun and his ilk turn out to be gangsters adorned in the tunic of party authority.”

He accused Oyegun of planning to return the APC to the trenches.

Although he stayed till the end of his tenure in 2018, he could not seek re-election and was subsequently replaced by Adams Oshiomhole.

Mr Oshimhole had a turbulent time as the Chairman of the Party. In the 2019 general election, he lost 4 states to the PDP, Oyo, Adamawa, Bauchi and Zamfara State. The court barred the APC from contesting in Rivers State.

The former Edo State governor was at loggerheads with Rochas Okorocha of Imo, AbdulAziz Yari and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, all had plans to replace themselves with anointed successors.

Oshiomole met his waterloo when he attempted to prevent his State governor, Godwin Obaseki from getting a second term ticket.

He was suspended by his ward, therefore, forced out of the Chair. President Buhari’s intervention produced Buni.

Mr Buni was given the mandate to hold a convention in 6 months after his appointment; 2years after, he has been unable to do so.

The inability of the President to react swiftly enough has been blamed for the state of affairs of the party.

The question that remains: will the president be able to call members of his party to order amidst the ambitions of major members of the party?

DAILY POST

Politics

Edo Guber: PDP BoT Member, Idahosa Resigns From Party

Published

5 hours ago

April 29, 2024

Editor

Ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Charles Idahosa, has resigned from the party.

A letter dated April 29, 2004 and titled ‘Letter of Resignation’, was
addressed to the chairman, PDP, Ward 1, Ehor, Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.

Mr. Idahosa, popularly called Charlie Temple by his supporters, wrote that he was formally announcing his decision to resign from both the PDP and his role as a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT).

The former Senior Political Adviser to immediate past governor of Edo State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, however silent on his next move.

Mr. Idahosa remarked that as a representative of the South South Nigerian, the decision came after considerable contemplation and reflection on his personal and political journey.

The top member of the main opposition party, who fell out with Governor Godwin Obaseki over the 2024 governorship ticket of the party, wrote that throughout his tenure within the PDP, he was privileged to contribute to its vision and mission.

He added: “However, after careful consideration. I believe it is time for me to pursue new paths and opportunities beyond the party’s confines.”

The Letter partly reads: “I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the PDP community support and camaraderie during my time of service.

“I remain committed to upholding the values and principles that have guided my political engagement thus far. I look forward to new avenues of growth and contribution, and I extend my best wishes to the PDP as it continues its important work.”

Politics

JUST-IN: PDP Clears All 33 LGA Chairmanship Seats In Oyo

Published

1 day ago

April 28, 2024

Editor

The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) has declared all the 33 candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winners in the local government areas elections conducted across the state on Saturday.

The declaration on Sunday came amid controversy of irregularities as echoed by the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which alleged irregularities in the voting process.

The APC in the state while the exercise was ongoing on Saturday had described the election as a sham which it noted was capable of causing the Pacesetter state untold disrepute if allowed to stand.

The opposition party then sought the rescheduling of the election for another day when OYSEIC “is ready to conduct a free, fair and credible poll.”

Oyo State APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, in a statement regretted that “another opportunity to deepen democracy and return power to the people at the grassroots has had to be missed due to the insensitivity and insincerity on the part of the ruling class in the state.

“With what is happening at the moment in most Polling Units across the state, Gov. Seyi Makinde has again disappointed the whole world. He promised the people that their votes would count today but the opposite is the case. The good people of the state desired to participate in an election to elect a new set of council officials but what they are experiencing is nothing but a sham.

“Even if OYSIEC comes out later to declare all the candidates of the APC, we would not rate this election as credible and acceptable as it falls below the minimum global standard of election conduct. The best thing is for the Commission to suspend the exercise and choose another date for a proper conduct rather continue to connive with a few anti-democratic elements in the ruling PDP to perpetrate electoral fraud and desecration of democracy in the land,” the statement read in part.

The Oyo state government however disagreed, insisting that the victory of all PDP candidates in the Saturday’s elections was predictable.

The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, after the announcement of the results, attributed the victories of the PDP candidates to outstanding performance of Governor Makinde in the last five years.

The Commissioner also attributed the election result to the quality of the candidates which the ruling party presented.

“This is a glowing tribute to the governor and his government as this is the last election under his watch till 2027 when he and the just elected LG chairmen and councillors will end their tenures.”

He lashed out at the opposition for starting to rehearse their complaints barely 30 minutes to the commencement of the elections as early as Saturday morning.

Oyelade charged them to behave like sportsmen and stop mixing fantasy with democracy.

The Commissioner hailed the commitments of the security team, the OYSIEC chairman and his team for daring to make a difference after the challenges of the past two local government elections.

Politics

Ondo 2024: lT Expert Emerges As SDP Candidate

Published

1 day ago

April 28, 2024

Editor

An Information Technology expert, Dr. Segun Oyebolu, weekend emerged the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic party, in Ondo state.

Oyebolu, will be the party’s flagbearear in the November 16, governorship election in the state.

He emerged during the party’s governorship primary held in Akure, Ondo state capital.

The election, was supervised by the officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies.

Speaking at the end of the exercise, the Chairman of the partys primary committee in the state, Joseph Abu, declared Oyebolu as winner

of the exercise having polled 59 votes of the 60 votes cast by the party’s delegates.

Abu who explained that one of the votes was voided, described the election as free and fair and devoid of any rancour or any trouble.

He said that “We have a single candidate and all the delegates voted for the candidate.

” I want to assure you that SDP will win the next governorship election in the state come November by the grace of God.

“I want to thank the people of Ondo state for embracing our party and I am assuring them that SDP will deliver dividend of democracy at their doorsteps.

In his acceptance speech, Oyebolu, assured that his government will focus in freeing the state from the vested interest that had contributed to the underdevelopment in the state.

Oyebolu said that “enough is enough, we are taking our state back”.

“This is therefore a notice to Governor Ayedatiwa to start parking his bags and baggages as our dear Ondo State prepares to replace him with SDP.

“We are duly set to uproot the APC from Ondo State Government House. This is therefore your quit notice served in advance.

“For many of our people yearning for a new day and a new hope – My administration will bring back the good, old days.

“The many destructions wrought on us as a people shall end and in November 2024, SDP shall indeed begin the emancipation of the South West.

” I want to reassure you that the days ahead will witness challenges which collectively we shall overcome as we prepare to return power and comfort to our people”

According to him, SDP is a better alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

He said the ruling party in the state had not changed the lives of the people for better but said the SDP was ready to find solution to the problems of Ondo State if voted to power in the November governorship election.

He noted the current economic crisis facing the people of the state was as a result of the maladministration and ineffective leadership on the part of the party in power in the state.

“We are here today to signal a completely new path, new way and new mindset. What you may call a shift from the unrealisable transformation programme of the APC.

“Our party seeks new way and better alternative entrenched in integrity of managing people, infrastructure and economy for people’s empowerment and emancipation,” he said.

He expressed assurance that the party would defeat the APC and PDP to win the governorship election, said the party is ready to work for the people of the state to rebuild and reposition the state.

The National Secretary of SDP, Dr. Olu Agunloye, while reacting to the primary exercise said “the issue at stake in Ondo State is about ensuring a breakthrough to take the State from its present moribund state to become a prosperous model state.

“This is by leveraging on its abundant human and natural resources, not about the despicable struggle for the purse strings of the State to perpetuate further underdevelopment because of personal interests and unethical agenda.

“In our great Party, the Social Democratic Party we are focused on efforts to move the State forward to social justice, peace, progress, and prosperity”