APC contends with unending disputes into national convention  

The ruling Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to contend with unending disputes into the party’s national convention on February 26 for the election of members of the National Working Committee (NWC). The disputes are deepening with minimal chances of reconciliation as some members of the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) are being dragged into the lingering crises between factions of the party.

The disputes are degenerating into assemblage of factional delegates to the national convention in February.

While the APC may not be having pronounced crisis in Yobe State, the National Chairman of the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Governor Mala Buni, is being dragged into the storm of the disputes with accusations of distrust.

Meanwhile, the controversy over the legality of the CECPC led by Governor Buni whose leadership status of the party is being questioned has been cleared by the court. The governor has also refuted the allegation of plotting to contest for the party’s national chairman at the February convention.

The CECPC National Secretary, John James Akpanudoedehe, is not immune from the crisis rocking the ruling APC. Akpanudoedehe is having a running battle in the APC in Akwa Ibom State over control of party structures with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, and the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Ita Enang. Akpanudoedehe is perceived to be using his role as CECPC national secretary to attempt control the APC in Akwa Ibom State.

In Zamfara State, Kabiru Marafa is slugging it out with Governor Bello Marawalle and former Governor Yari over control of APC in the state. Yari is contesting for the APC national chairman.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, is slugging it out in Delta State APC with the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo SAN.

Lagos State is not immune from internal conflicts, though, the rivals to the major party structure are being suppressed to paint a picture of party unity.

Governor Oyetola of Osun State is battling the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, over the control of the party in the state.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State is having political war with Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on the one side, and former Governor Segun Osoba.

APC, while contending with inability to resolve the lingering crisis, is facing fresh crisis of factional delegates to the national convention in February.

The party leaders were unable to resolve the crisis of factional congresses, which produced factional state executives, in various states before the national convention.

There is emerging fear in the party that the prevailing conflicts could obstruct subsequent activities in the post-convention era unto the 2023 general elections.

The former Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Salihu Lukman, had at the APC Stakeholders Summit – Rebuilding the APC of our dreams – berated the Committee leadership of communication gap and lack of consultations. He expressed that the party leaders have not been holding meetings as in 2014, when leaders were holding meetings to moderate the actions of all party members. Then, the party was able to manage the emergence of the national chairman without friction.

Lukman had declared: “We are now struggling to hold a convention. At the last count, there were nine aspirants for the chairmanship… I saw another person, making it 10. There are more coming. I recall that in 2014, we didn’t have that situation.

“Part of the reason was because meetings were taking place. So, leaders were able to consult and engage with one another and moderate the actions of everybody in the party.

“Now, because leaders have become overconfident, meetings are hardly taking place. It is now difficult to moderate the leaders’ excesses and even the caretaker committee.

“We must appeal to our leaders to return to that mode of having meetings. And they don’t need to expect agreement every time. This is what we need as a party.”