Politics

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

Published

4 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

BREAKING: 17 ADC Reps Follow Join NDC

Published

5 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

About 17 African Democratic Congress, ADC, lawmakers in the House of Representatives have defected to the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC.

This was disclosed by Speaker Abass Tajudeen on the floor of the House on Tuesday.

Tajudeen also announced the defection of Leke Abejide from the ADC to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Lawmakers who defected to the NDC include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.

Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene and Abdulhakeem Ado.

This comes barely a day after former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso defected from the ADC to the NDC.

Obi and Kwankwaso have pledged to continue their pursuit for a better Nigeria in the NDC.

Politics

JUST IN: Why I left ADC For NDC With Kwankwaso – Peter Obi Opens Up

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

A former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has given reasons why he resigned from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to join the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, alongside a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

In a long post on X on Monday, Obi insisted it was not out of anger or ambition.

Rather, he said the move is a continuation of the quest to build a new Nigeria.

Obi wrote: “Yesterday, I formally joined the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside my dear brother, Engr. Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, with one clear purpose: to continue the struggle for a new Nigeria built on justice, competence, accountability, and compassion for the ordinary Nigerian.

“As I stated yesterday, this decision was not made out of anger, personal ambition, or convenience. It came after deep reflection on the present condition of our nation and the urgent need to rescue Nigeria from the dangerous path it is currently heading.

“Over the years, I have remained steadfast in my conviction that politics should never be about individuals, positions, or personal gain. It must be about the people, especially the millions of Nigerians who today can no longer afford necessities, whose businesses are collapsing, whose children are losing hope, and whose future is becoming increasingly uncertain.

“I left the ADC for the same reason I left the Labour Party: the severe, orchestrated litigation and internal crises deliberately designed to ensure that I, alongside many other notable individuals, do not effectively participate in the electoral process. I sincerely appreciate and remain deeply grateful to the Leadership of ADC for the opportunity to work together in pursuit of a better Nigeria. I am particularly grateful to ADC Chairman Senator David Mark for his exceptional Leadership. I also deeply appreciate my Leader and elder brother YE, Atiku Abubakar, as well as other respected leaders within the party.

“As we join the NDC, I sincerely appeal to the Nigerian Government against the encouragement of unresolved litigations and the infusion of crises within political parties. Democracy must never become a weapon against the people. A healthy democracy thrives on strong institutions, credible alternatives, and the freedom of citizens to make choices without intimidation, manipulation, or fear. Opposition parties must not be weakened or destroyed, because when democracy loses balance, the people ultimately suffer.

“Nigeria today is passing through one of the most difficult periods in its history. Poverty is rising. Hunger is widespread. Insecurity continues to threaten lives and livelihoods. Businesses are shutting down daily. Our young people are becoming discouraged, and many citizens have lost faith in the system. At a time like this, leadership must be driven not by propaganda or division, but by competence, capacity, character, and compassion.

“Our decision to join the NDC is therefore not an abandonment of values, but a continuation of the same mission we have always stood for: building a Nigeria where leadership is about service, where public resources are managed responsibly, where institutions function independently, and where every Nigerian, regardless of tribe, religion, region, or social status, can live with dignity, security, and hope.

“I remain committed to working with all Nigerians of goodwill across political, ethnic, and religious lines. The task before us is bigger than any individual or political party. It is about the future of our children and the survival of our dear nation.

“I thank Nigerians, especially our youths and women, for remaining peaceful, resilient, and hopeful despite the enormous challenges confronting the country. I urge you not to lose faith in Nigeria. Nations do not change because people surrender to hopelessness; they change because people continue to believe, continue to sacrifice, and continue to stand for what is right.”

Politics

Peter Obi, Kwankwaso Formally Join NDC, Warn Members Against Litigation

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned party members to steer clear of any form of litigation that can plunge the party into chaos ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking in Abuja on Sunday after he was formally joined the party alongside the former governor of Kano State,

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso , the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party(LP), urged members to embrace dialogue in the interest of the party

“Please let there be no litigation. Party members, please don’t go to court. We want to build a party, we are not lawyers,” he pleaded.

The two political figures were received into the opposition party on Sunday at its national secretariat in Abuja.

Earlier, Obi had announced his exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Kwankwaso had indicated he was engaged in “wide-ranging consultations” with the NDC.

The National Chairman of the party, Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, presented membership cards to both leaders at the event.

Speaking afterwards, Kwankwaso said their engagement with NDC stakeholders was driven by a shared vision and ideological alignment.

“We came to discuss with stakeholders of the party and found that our ideologies and beliefs are largely the same,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to register with the NDC ahead of the deadline for party membership registration, stressing the need for broader participation in the political process.