APC: The Power Problems In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Obaseki
The Oasis Reporters
June 26, 2020
Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde (right) and his Edo State counterpart and PDP governorship candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki, after a consultative meeting held before the Party’s primary election in Benin, on Thursday which Gov. Obaseki won. PHOTO: Oyo State Govt.
If there’s one man who’s full of regrets over the treatment he meted out to his governor because he wanted to be godfather, far above his exalted position as the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) chairman, it must be former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole.
This is how Comrade Deji Adeyanju @adeyanjudeji put it in a tweet;
“Obaseki is bad ooo. He removed a whole National Chairman with a Ward Exco then is still responsible for disbanding the NWC”.
Adams Oshiomole threw caution to the winds when he made the reprehensible move of stopping a governor from running for reelection. Because the national leader and strongman of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu did it to his then State governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, by throwing him under a bus and succeeded, Oshiomole thought he could reenact the same stunt. But rather, he ended up under the bus himself.
Governor Godwin Obaseki has already moved on to not only join the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, but has emerged the governorship candidate.
#EdoIsPDP Live video from the ongoing governorship election primary of the @OfficialPDPNig in Benin City, Edo State. @officialKolaO pic.twitter.com/s7Z979n58L
— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) June 25, 2020
All PDP gubernatorial candidates stepped down for Governor Godwin Obaseki.
It is now the turn of the APC to try and ward off the looming threat of disintegration, all because of the megalomania in one person’s overarching ambition and thoughtlessness.
Here’s the press release from the ruling party, APC:
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
WHY OUR PARTY MUST NOT DISINTEGRATE, PRESIDENT BUHARI ADMONISHES APC MEMBERS
President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja advised members of the governing party, All Progressives Congress (APC), to withdraw all pending litigations against one another, and settle for internal conciliation, warning that the mutating disagreements could lead to self-destruction, with dire consequences.
President Buhari, in his remarks at the emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the APC held on a virtual platform, said the gains of the party could be reversed as conflicts overshadow the primary objective of service to the people, urging 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 ongoing 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.’’
President Buhari proposed that:
“The meeting may adopt the developed resolution as contained in the agenda and pass resolutions including: approving the immediate discontinuation of all pending litigations involving the party and its members; ratifying the primary election conducted in Edo State; dissolving the current National Working Committee, and appointing caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning committee for the party.’’
The President also reiterated the need to discontinue all litigations involving members of the party, which were connected to issues of the party, adding: “The directive had been issued before, unfortunately some members failed to heed the directive. Thus, at this time, it must be made a Resolution of the Party which must be effectively enforced with dire consequences for members who choose to ignore the directive”.
The President said in order to return to the “winning ways’’, the APC must maintain cohesion by closing its ranks.
“We must be alive to the time and the task that is before us. As we all know, we are immediately confronted with the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo States. Therefore, this is the time to get our acts together’’.
The emergency NEC meeting adopted all the recommendations by President Buhari, and appointed the Governor of Yobe State, Mallam Mai Buni, as Caretaker National Chairman, while Senator John Akpanudoede was designated Caretaker National Secretary.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
June 25, 2020
