The All Progressives Congress (APC) crumbling like pack of cards doing what no other opposition political party has ever done in the political history of the country, when in 2015, against the run of play, it defeated the incumbent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a party that had held on to power for 16 long years.
As a matter of fact one of the former PDP national chairmen, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, even boasted that the party would be in power for uninterrupted 60 years. The APC successfully bust their ego and the PDP is yet to recover from that onslaught! The success of the APC Tsunami that swept away the PDP from power was unprecedented. It was during the glory days of the APC with the former governor of Edo State, Chief John Odegun as the national chairman.
Oyegun it was who brought finesse to party administration. He led the APC to its biggest victory yet. A victory that was so overwhelming that overnight the hitherto behemoth PDP turned from being ‘the biggest party in Africa’ to a minority party gasping for breath. If Oyegun had been allowed to continue to steer APC’s ship after the historic victory of 2015 and up to 2019, perhaps PDP would have been buried by now.
But some stakeholders had other ideas. They wanted Oyegun out. They thought they knew better. Enter the former governor of Edo State Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. While Oyegun was urbane and sophisticated in his man management, Oshiomhole was brash and erratic. While Oyegun was reconciliatory, Oshiomhole was autocratic. Under Oshiomhole the APC lost a lot of the gains of the party had made.
Under Oshiomhole the APC lost Zamfara State to the PDP. PDP took back Adamawa State because the intra-party squabble had weakened APC and the national secretariat UNDER OSHIOMHOLE could do nothing about it.
Bauchi was also retaken by PDP also thanks to failure of Oshiomhole to reconcile aggrieved party men. Rivers State that could have been won by APC, was lost ‘without firing a bullet’. This was because Oshiomhole failed to be an unbiased umpire in the crisis that rocked the Rivers APC. In the end the Rivers APC was disqualified from the 2019 general election.
Under Oshiomhole the APC lost Edo, its only state in the South South, because of the unnecessary fight between the leader of the party in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki and the national chairman of the APC Adams Oshiomhole. In the end Obaseki was forced to leave the party to the PDP which eventually took over leadership of Edo State. The loss at Edo was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
The frustration over the sliding of the party to the abyss was unbearable. Oshiomhole had to go. In came the incumbent governor and chairman of APC Buni. In June 2020, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by President Muhammadu Buhari, dissolved the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, and appointed the governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni as the new caretaker committee chairman.
A statement by Femi Adesina, special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari in media and publicity, said the emergency NEC meeting adopted all the recommendations by President Buhari, and appointed Governor Mai Buni, as Caretaker National Chairman, while Senator John Akpanudoede was designated Caretaker National Secretary.
Buni was also appointed Chairman of an Extraordinary Convention to be held at a later date. President Buhari, at the meeting said the gains of the party could be reversed as conflicts overshadowed the primary objective of service to the people, President Buhari urged members to refocus on the larger picture and place more emphasis on uniting the party.
“Fellow party members, this is a very crucial moment in the life of our party and it is with a deep sense of concern that I stand before you today to speak as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who has been elected on the platform of our great party – the All Progressives Congress.
“The issues currently confronting our party at this time are such that should worry every party member. At the moment, our great party is faced with internal wrangling; there are on-going litigations amongst some party members and we cannot clearly ascertain the status of certain National Working Committee (NWC) members.’’
The president expressed worry over the shifting loyalty within the party and inconsistency in leadership, which had opened the governing party to mockery. “There are also other associated disputes as to the legitimacy or otherwise of holders of certain national offices of the party. The party is also contending with judicial claims and counter-claims, orders and counter-orders and indeed judgments and counter-judgments that are predominantly at cross-purposes.
“Confronted with these issues, it is obvious that the fortunes of the party are currently, in jeopardy, administration of our party is becoming impossible and there is consequently an urgent need for intervention to immediately arrest further drifts and internal wrangling which may lead to total disintegration.
“What we see clearly emerging, is that we are beginning to self-destruct. This, my dear party members, is not just regrettable but utterly gut-wrenching.’’
Many of the problems bedeviling the party as noted by President Buhari at the meeting persist. Close to two years since the Buni Committee emerged on the scene, it had not been able to hold a national convention.
And the one scheduled for February 26 is now in doubt. To make matter worse a few days to the February 26 convention, there are no committees to drive the process. It is obvious that if the party manages to hold its convention, when it finally does, its old problems are not going away unless discipline is enforced.
All hands must be on deck to save APC. Already there are those presenting themselves to become national chairman and perhaps save the party. The chairmanship aspirants include; former deputy national chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Saliu Mustapha, former governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff and Senator representing Niger East District, Mohammed Sani-Musa. Others are former governors of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, Borno State, Kashim Shettima, Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, George Akume, Sunny Moniedafe and Mohammed Saidu-Etsu.
Grapevine sources indicate that the national chairmanship of the party had been zoned to North Central. Maybe that is why majority of the aspirants hail from that zone. Again, party and Villa sources indicate that the front runner is Akume who interestingly is a serving minister aside having been a two term governor and senator.
He hails from Benue State. Those who support him cite his calmness and democratic disposition, they say that is what the party needs at this time. But, Will George Akume and any of these aspirants be able to save APC?
Ultimately, President Muhammadu Buhari as the leader of the party has the responsibility to save the party that brought him to power against all odds. As the ruling party, whatever affects APC affects the country. That is why Buhari should ensure that APC puts its house in order, as it is becoming embarrassing that the ruling party is quite frankly in disarray! Without stability in APC, Nigeria cannot have stability.
China that many of us admire today for its successes is because the Communist Party had provided the enabling stability for the leaders to concentrate on the job of economic growth and development of the country. The ball is on the court of Mr President to salvage the party, else, the party will sink into the abyss on the weight of the many intrigues going on right now at Buhari House!
Aluta Continua!
by Ray Morphy
