Why El-Rufai’s recent revelation may end embattled CCEPC secretary, Udoedehe’s governorship ambition

The fracas currently consuming some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress may finally be the last straw that would put an end to their political aspirations.

For the secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Akpan Udoedehe, his governorship ambition may be at stake following the revelation made by the Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai about his role in the current mayhem plaguing the party.

While speaking about the whole crisis in the party, the Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai had made a damning statement about the national secretary of the caretaker committee, Senator Akpan Udoedehe.

El-Rufai had noted that the secretary was the stumbling block that was against the party’s plans to move forward and achieve their aim of organizing the scheduled national convention on time.

According to El-Rufai, the governors had met with the President a few weeks before he travelled and they had laid their common request to the president about their challenges with the Buni-led caretaker committee.

El-Rufai had also accused the caretaker chairman, Buni of secretly securing a court injunction that was to be used against the party a few weeks before the convention. He also noted that after presenting their findings to the president, he had given them a go-ahead to implement some of the discussions and suggestions they had on how to move the party forward.

On meeting with the party secretary, Udoedehe, he had flatly refused to bulge and had maintained that he would not accept the governors’ position.

The governors had reported back to the President who in turn, mandated them to do everything possible to take the party back on course.

That had led to Buni’s ouster and the take over by the Niger Governor, Bello.

According to inside sources, the removal of Buni, Udoedehe and other members of the caretaker committee who have been affected by this recent move will be ratified by the national executive council (NEC) during their emergency meeting which will be held soon.

Now the man, Udoedehe is known to be nursing a governorship ambition in Akwa Ibom state.

In February, some members of the state chapter of the APC had faulted the decision of a group within the party to endorse Udoedehe as the sole candidate of the party.

The group had made this known via a communique which was signed by Dr. Effiong Etuk, former APC Secretary and a host of other party elders, that Udoedehe’s endorsement was null and void.

He has been on this route since 2011 when he ran against the former governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio during his second term.

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He has continued to be a recurring face on the ballot papers despite not winning the elections for once.

After becoming the candidate of the party in the 2011 general elections, he however lost at the primaries in 2015 and in 2018.

His position as the secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) had made him a rallying point in the states chapter of the party although this had created some form of division as some other party leaders refused to accept his leadership.

The last congress in the state was met with a lot of criticism on his part as the party faithful accused him of hijacking the process in the state.

However, it may be difficult for Udoedehe’s plans to materialize this time as he has gone into the black books of the party because when the NEC eventually takes a decision against him, it may be a punitive measure and this is likely to affect his chances of flying the party’s flag in the coming elections in Akwa Ibom.

According to El-Rufai, the decision to oust Buni’s team was a collective decision of some APC governors and there is a very high probability that the same group of people will also determine what happens across the states in the coming days.

Although Akwa Ibom is not controlled by the APC, there are other factions whose loyalty differs from Udoedehe’s like Nsima Ekere, Godswill Akpabio etc who may get the nod of this new leadership and this may spell doom for Udoedehe’s ambition.