It
is a well-known fact that APC has being widely accepted in many states in
Nigeria. But despite this wide acceptance, all appears not to be well in the
house of the All Progressives Congress. This is because of power sharing and
control of the party machinery between the new entrants and the old people who
has been in the party since.
When
contacted, the Director of Press to Kano State governor, Baba Dantiye, said
fears about Kwankwaso’s commitment to working with other leaders were
misplaced. In his words:>>>>
“His
only concern is the salvation of this country. It is not about his interest; he
is committed but it will be unfortunate if they feel that way even before the
committee starts its work. His Excellency has an open mind and is ready to work
with everybody.”
Investigation
by PUNCH showed that some of the 5 governors, who defected to the APC from the
PDP were locked in a supremacy battle with some leaders of the three political
parties that merged to form the APC.
The
parties that merged to form APC are the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria
Peoples Party and the Congress for Progressive Change.
To
forestall problem, however, the party has set up reconciliation committees in
some of the affected states.
The
governors who left the PDP for the APC, included Dr. Rabiu Kwankwanso (Kano);
Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Muritala Nyako (Adamawa); Abdufatah Ahmed (Kwara) and
Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers).
The
tussle for power in states controlled by the fast-growing APC is mainly between
the governors and those who are against their total control of the state party
structure.
It
was learnt that the problem had manifested in Kwara, Kano, Sokoto and Adamawa
states among others.
The
defected PDP governors that are said to be engaged in power struggle with old
APC members include Nyako, Kwankanso, Wamakko and Ahmed. As for Amaechi, he is
total control in Rivers State.
In
Kwara State for instance, members of the parties that merged to form the APC
have described the leader of the PDP defectors, Senator Bukola Saraki, as
someone who loves a one man show. Saraki is the political godfather of the
state governor.
A
former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, Mr.
Dele Belgore, is the leader of the APC members opposed to Saraki’s take-over of
the party, and this is expected.
A
member of the Dele Belgore group, Rev. Bunmi Olusona, said in a statement
titled: “Issues before the John Oyegun mediation committee,” Olusona stated,
“We aver that we do not need Bukola Saraki to win elections in Kwara. In fact,
the coming of Bukola Saraki is a huge burden on the Kwara APC.
“We
now have a daunting task of convincing Kwarans that we remain a part of their
hope for change.”
Funny
enough, these same people lost Kwara State to Bukola Saraki in the 2011
elections.
Anyway,
Mr Yemi Afoloyan, a former state Secretary of the Saraki-led PDP faction, in a
chat with PUNCH said claims that Saraki
was a despot were untrue.
He
described Saraki as a grass-roots political leader, who stepped into the shoes
of his revered father, the late Chief Olusola Saraki.
Yemi
Afolayan said: “One of the best things for Kwarans and the APC in the state is
the handing over of the APC’s structure to Saraki. We have the election winning
machinery and we win and deliver wherever we go. We have come to the APC with
an election-winning machinery and we are sure the machinery will not fail.
“It
will deliver anytime. Saraki has not said he is going to the APC to take over
everything. He believes in egalitarian society. The door is open for
integration of all the stakeholders and shades of opinions.
“What
is paramount in the mind of our leader, is the continued transformation and
development of our dear State of Harmony.”
In
an attempt to douse growing tension between supporters of the Mallam Ibrahim
Shekarau-led former ANPP members and the Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso,
the national headquarters of the party has set up a reconciliation committee
headed by the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, and a former Speaker of
the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari.
Yari
and Masari were given the task of drawing up a workable arrangement to
accommodate both leaders and their followers, and to prepare the ground for the
party’s mobilization.
Masari
and others will also help to resolve the crisis in Sokoto State.
It
was also learnt that there is a tussle between Governor Nyako and a former
governorship candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change in
Adamawa State, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa.
But
Marwa has expressed confidence that the national leaders are dealing with the
challenge.
In
a short message to Punch, he said, “These teething problems will come up but I
am aware that the national hierarchy of the party is attending to the issues
and hopefully, will be resolved very soon. APC stands for internal democracy
any day.”
In
his reaction to the issues, former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct
CPC, Rotimi Fashakin, said the apprehension among some people was
understandable but added that all issues will be resolved.
Below
are Mr Rotimi Fashakin's words:
“All
these apprehensions will be taken care of. We understand the apprehension of
people but we are going to make sure there is real equality and that no person
is unduly marginalized in the scheme of things because we must build a party
where opportunities for all abound.”
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