•Buhari may release ministerial list this week
Both Atiku Abubakar and Bola Tinubu want to be the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Board of Trustees (BoT), deepening the rift in the party that rode to power on the crest of public desire but is finding it hard to govern.
The former vice president and the former Lagos Stage governor, both moneybags, are said to be behind the palaver in the National Assembly (NASS) where their loyalists ignore APC directives to fight over principal offices.
Atiku is said to back Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
Tinubu reportedly supports Senator Ahmed Lawan and House member Femi Gbajabiamila.
Ogbeh, neutral candidate
Observers argue that neither Atiku nor Tinubu can successfully head the BoT because they are divisive, and the APC will do well by picking a neutral contestant like Audu Ogbeh.
The BoT is one of the most powerful organs of a political party.
The APC was billed to decide how to constitute the leadership of its BoT tomorrow, Monday, July 20 but it was put off because of the public holiday for the Muslim Eid-el-Fitr.
The meeting will hold later this week, according to a source in the party, who did not want his name in print.
“Atiku wants to be the Chairman of BoT but he does not want to campaign for it. He wants to be begged to have it.
“The same thing applies to Tinubu, who is equally eyeing the position but wants to be begged to take it,” the source disclosed.
He said the APC has not decided which zone would produce the BoT chairman and other principal positions.
“We will meet after the public holidays to take a decision on this matter. For now, nobody can say who will get what in the BoT.
“But I know that both Atiku and Tinubu are eyeing the big position. Until the zoning formula is worked out, you cannot hazard any guess.”
The APC is also polarised into three factions – Northern/South East, South South, and South West.
It was learnt that before the party’s last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, Northerners were mobilising support to frustrate Tinubu out of the party because of his “overbearing influence and inordinate ambition.”
The source accused Tinubu of trying to “encircle” President Muhammadu Buhari by positioning his cronies in strategic locations in Aso Rock.
A member of the APC, Ezekiel Izuogu, told TheNiche in an interview that power tussle for 2019 is responsible for the crisis.
Abayomi calls for caution
Tunji Abayomi, a human rights activist and legal giant, advised the party to make wider consultations and get its act right so as not to worsen the crisis.
His words: “If you ask me my candid opinion, I will say we should look for somebody not in any of the factions but who has the capacity to relate well with all the contending interests.
“What is happening at the National Assembly is unfortunate so we must be wary on the actions we take. We can go for somebody who is not factionalised.
“There must be wider consultations and those involved must have a deep rethink, particularly the consequence ahead on the future of the party.”
According to Abayomi, if the protagonists cannot reach a genuine compromise the party has to look elsewhere because its interest is bigger than that of any individual.
“It’s democracy in action if any of them also wins, as long as all those that ought to participate do so.”
He urged all the contending interests not to endanger the public perception of the party but to think of its future survival.
Heal wound first, Kosoko counsels
Former House of Representatives member, Idris Kosoko, also urged the factions to look beyond the BoT chairmanship and consider the future of the APC.
Said he: “I think there is an urgent need for them (the contestants) to meet to decide the way out. We should not be in a haste but should first allow the peaceful resolution of the National Assembly issues.
“We can postpone it and allow for a wider consultation. Let’s look beyond the BoT chairman, after all it’s just an advisory role.
“Let’s ensure we heal the festering wound first and get our great party in good standing; if not, the problem on the ground will escalate and that will not be in the best interest of either the individual or the party.’’
Tinubu adamant
However, Lagos State APC Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, disagreed that the choice of either Atiku or Tibubu will spell doom for the party.
“Why will he (Tinubu) not show interest? How can another work while another eats,” argued Igbokwe, a staunch Tinubu loyalist.
He said there is none in the APC more qualified than Tinubu for the BoT chair because “if the success of the APC is a book, [he] wrote a reasonable percentage of it alone.
“The APC as a party must not! I repeat, must not get into another crisis because of the election of BoT chairman. We know those who worked for this party, and we know how to reward them.
“Interlopers and those who seek power without responsibility should not be allowed to destroy a party we have all laboured to build even when these characters were known to be sitting on the fence when it mattered most.
“Another should not work and another will come and hijack. Bola Tinubu deserves to be the BoT Chairman of the APC if hard work is to be rewarded.”
Atiku won’t back down
A source in the Atiku camp, who wished not to be named, riposted that the man will not abandon his ambition for the BoT chair.
He argued that since the post will be determined by election, nobody should be scared of Atiku.
According to the source, the traducers of Atiku should learn from him because after the APC presidential primary, he quickly conceded defeat and handed his best asset to Buhari even before the last ballot was counted.
He said it is elements in the APC who are used to choosing leaders in the closet that are fighting him, employing all fair and foul means, including hatchet newspaper commentaries.
In his view, the APC will benefit more if Atiku gets the job, because of “his democratic nature, compassionate disposition, generosity, and ability to solve problems.”
Dogara, APC may clash again over Gbajabiamila
The party’s NEC may canvass for the doctrine of necessity for Gbajabiamila (South West) to become House of Representatives Leader.
A member of the NWC disclosed that the party appreciates the argument of the Dogara camp on House Rules, but Gbajabiamila can emerge as House Leader.
Gbajabiamila contested the Speakership but lost to Dogara.
The House Rules stipulate that every zone must produce a principal officer and the South West already has Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun (Osun), the same zone Gbajabiamila is from.
Dogara loyalists are saying that making Gbajabiamila House Leader would violate the rules.
On the delay in forming cabinet, the source argued that this is not new as former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late Umaru Yar’Adua nominated their ministers in August.
He recalled that only former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed ministers before August and the reason was that he had worked with them as acting President before he became the substantive one after the death of Yar’ Adua.
Ministerial nominees
However, it was learnt that Buhari will this week announce his choice for the offices of secretary to the government of the federation, chief of staff, principal secretary, as well as special advisers.
It was also learnt that he will send his ministerial list to the Senate in the next few days.
The delay in making these appointments, especially those of SGF and Chief of Staff, is said to be hampering the smooth running of government.
Buhari is taking his time in scrutinising those to serve as ministers because of his anti-corruption stance. Some persons originally picked are said to have lost out based on reports linking them to past shady deals.
Others may not make it because of the preference of godfathers for other persons in their zones.
It was also lerant that the budget department in the Ministry of Finance may be made independent.