…Reaches out to Saraki
By Emeka Alex Duru
Editor, Politics/Features
Faced with imminent implosion on account of unceasing crisis within its rank, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is currently in a mess. It is thus, in desperate moves to get its acts right.
The desperation comes on the heels of profound speculations on a mega political party emerging from its disenchanted members and rumps of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead 2019 election year.
Thus confronted with the fears of losing out in the next general election, APC is in a heat to win back its estranged chieftains and public goodwill it has gradually but steadily lost since coming to power more than one and half years ago.
Among the attempts by the party to regain its voice, was the fence mending meeting between the National Working Committee (NWC), and the leadership of its Senate Caucus at the Party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, on Wednesday, December 7, 2016.
John Odigie-Oyegun, the National Chairman of the party, led the NWC team to the meeting. Other members in attendance were the Deputy National Chairman (North), Lawal Shuaibu; Deputy National Chairman (South), Segun Oni; National Secretary,Mai Mala Buni; National Vice Chairman (South-West), Pius Oluwole Akinyelure; National Vice Chairman (North-West), Inuwa Abdul-Kadir; National Vice Chairman (North-Central), Zakari Idde; National Vice Chairman (South-East), Emma Eneukwu; National Treasurer, Bala Mohammed Gwagwarwa; Sen. Osita Izunaso, National Organising Secretary; George Moghalu, National Auditor; National Women Leader, Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu and Dasuki Ibrahim Jalo, National Youth Leader.
The Senate APC Caucus leadership was led to the meeting by the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Bukola Saraki. Other attendees were Ali-Ndume, Senate Majority Leader; Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Senate Deputy Majority Leader and Olusola Adeyeye, Senate Chief Whip.
That was the very first meeting of the party with the senate body since the swearing-in of the Muhammadu Buhari presidency on May 29, 2015 and the inauguration of the National Assembly on June 9, 2015.
Odigie-Oyegun who opened discussions at the meeting, noted that the party was at a critical juncture in its existence and therefore needed new basis for cooperation between it, members in the Senate and the executive.
He admitted that APC, on coming to power, took faulty steps in managing its electoral victory and has since been living with the burden.
“It is clear, it is public knowledge now that our very first steps when we came in to office created problems and the very nature itself of the amalgamating parties, created its own issues all of which have tended up till now to affect the mode of operations and the level of interactions between the various arms of government and the Party”, he remarked.
He called for a fresh opportunity to look at the party and its relationship with its National Assembly (NASS) members. Saraki merely thanked him for inviting them to the meeting.
Eating the humble pie
Not many, were, in fact, surprised at the panicky move by the APC chairman. On account of uncertain developments within and outside the party lately, Oyegun’s unease is quite understandable.
APC, has since coming to power, given the impression that it really does not know what to do with power. Aside internecine squabbles and scramble for offices, the leadership of the party has not carried itself as one with any identifiable agenda. In the process, various tendencies in the party, have literally been let loose.
Speculations on the coming of a mega political party, have also not helped matters for the party. Since the idea began to attract headlines, names of senior members of APC have popped up, repeatedly.
Prominent among these are former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and erstwhile Lagos governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They have however denied any agenda at leaving APC.
But Tinubu’s relations with the party’s leadership, has in recent time, been quite lukewarm, at best. Not that he had been particularly seen to be comfortable with the affairs of the party since the 2015 electoral victory. But developments in the party lately, have tended to portray him as more of an outsider.
The most immediate in what his supporters hold against the APC was the party’s handling of the November 26 Ondo governorship election.
In the build-up to the poll, Tinubu had settled for Olusegun Abraham as his preferred candidate. At the primary however, former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, emerged the winner, in controversial circumstances. Electoral malpractices were alleged as aiding his victory.
Tinubu had looked up to the national secretariat of the party to respect his wish and order a fresh primary or declare Abraham the candidate. But Oyegun, presiding on an appeal by Abraham, upheld the result of the primary.
Tinubu did not find the situation funny. To worsen matters, Buhari looked the other way, in a manner, many suspected, meant an endorsement of Akeredolu who eventually won the election.
That added to the insinuation of the former governor no longer being in the party with his body and soul.
Atiku is also seen to have been denied his due in the party, given his huge financial commitment to it. The rumour has thus, been strong that the two, alongside like minds and their supporters, may be pulling out of the party for the emerging mega party.
In some quarters even, Saraki is being linked with the possibilities of leaving APC. Though his links with the emerging party are not as thick as those of Atiku and Tinubu, it would not come as shock to observers if he turns his back at APC. For one, he still has strong ties with some members of PDP. He is also not counted among the Buhari tendency in APC.
Buhari and dwindling popularity profile
The uncertain developments happening at a time job performance profile of the President has been at an all-time low, has been giving other members of the APC, serious cause for concern.
The central issue, our reporter gathered, is what key members of the party discuss in hushed tones, as the know-all, headmaster carriage of Buhari. “Look at the piteous state of the economy. He (the President), is not versed in the economy. He also does not want to allow his aides who understand the terrain to function. This is why we are on the same spot almost two years of taking over power. The way things are, I have fears if we can convince Nigerians to vote for us in 2019”, volunteered an obviously distraught former member of the House of Representatives from Lagos State, who asked not to be mentioned.
His fears on the President not exhibiting mastery of the situation had earlier been raised by those with intimate knowledge of him. In an earlier encounter with this newspaper, second republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, had dismissed the president as an economic illiterate, warning Nigerians not to expect much from his administration. He also accused him of incompetency and running nepotistic government.
Even Buhari’s wife, Aisha, had recently in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), alleged that her husband had been hijacked by a cabal that had shielded him from the realities of the day.
The First Lady had vowed that if the trend continued, she would not step out to mobilise support for the President for his reelection in 2019.