By Daniel Kanu
Assistant Politics Editor
All appears not to be well with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In fact, the party is again trapped in another political quagmire. This is despite the seemingly peaceful resolution by its leadership, particularly the governors and the National Working Committee (NWC) on the impasse that arose recently over President Muhammadu Buhari’s rejection of the 12 months tenure extension granted to the elected and appointed executive of the party at all levels.
Unknown, to, many, this dangerous political ploy, according to some analysts, seem to be playing out, perhaps for continuation in the tactical destruction of the party, which some people had described as a union of two or more strange bedfollows.
The reason is understandable: The ambition of two front-runners of the party and underground intrigue is causing the deep split among different zones of the party.
The current National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, and a former Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, both seek to emerge the national chairman of the party at its forthcoming convention.
While Oyegun seeks to retain his position, Oshiomhole, who is believed to be fully backed by all the political arsenal of the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is being positioned to upstage Oyegun.
Ironically both challengers are said to be friends, former governors of the state (Edo State), South-south Nigeria, the region the chairmanship is believed to have been zoned.
Unarguably, the evolving political scenario in view of most observers is to the joy of the opposition parties.
Political watchers see the emerging treacherous maneuver as sad commentary that would do the party great harm if allowed to go full blown.
A major indication of the split in support for both contenders emerged on Monday after a meeting of APC chairpersons from the South-south held in Benin.
The Monday meeting was the expanded meeting of the South-South zone as the Edo State caucus meeting was held on Sunday, also in Benin, a day before, where Oshiomhole was said to have been first endorsed.
At the end of the meeting, four South-South state chairpersons of the party held a press conference, alleging that they were ambushed to support Oshiomhole.
They explained further that they were politically trapped with Oshiomhole’s adoption agenda at the meeting, insisting that Oyegun be given a right of first refusal to seek re-election for the position at the May 14 Convention.
The state chairmen that opposed Oshiomhole’s endorsement, according to reports were that of Rivers State chairman; Davies Ikanya; Bayelsa State chairman, Joseph Fafi; Cross River State chairman, Etim John; and the Akwa Ibom State APC chairman, Amadu Attai; as well as the APC Deputy National Secretary, Victor Giadom.
The National Vice Chairman, APC South-South Zone, Ntufam Eta, had earlier stated that the zone had endorsed Oshiomhole after a meeting of executive members of the party held in Benin City.
Rivers State APC chairman, Ikanya, told The Niche that what happened was a ruse, a tactical ambush for them to accept Oshiomhole as the zone’s candidate for the national chairmanship position, against due process.
Said Ikanya, “We were there for the meeting only to be ambushed by Eta (National Vice Chairman of the party) to adopt a preconceived candidate. That for us is not democracy. Our point of disagreement is that the national chairman, Oyegun, be given a right of first refusal to seek re-election for the position, simple.
“The truth is that the Zonal Executive Committee does not have the power to elect, nominate or to adopt candidates for national offices. It is the National Convention that can do that.
“As you are aware there were very senior members in the zone that were shut out of this meeting purposely. Number one, the national chairman of the party who is from this zone and the national vice chairman of the party ought to seek the permission of the national chairman of the party even to convene this meeting as put in our constitution”.
Eta said that the leadership of the party decided to endorse Oshiomhole for the position of the National Chairman of the party because “Oshiomhole is the rebranding APC needs” ahead the 2019 general elections.
He said that the party followed the tradition and due process in endorsing Oshiomhole contrary to views from few leaders of the party in the zone recalling that it was in similar manner that Oyegun was endorsed in 2014 in Port Harcourt, at a meeting hosted by the then governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.
Also former deputy governor of Edo State, Lucky Imaseun, arrowheads behind Oshiomhole said that there was nothing like ambush as claimed by the four state chairmen that dissociated themselves from the outcome of the meeting.
He said that their argument did not hold water as their senators, House of Representatives members as well as other senior party officials were in attendance and gave their full support and solidarity.
“We had over 100 top party officials from the six zones including senators, House of Representatives members and top officials of the party who were present; so four chairmen disagreeing is not anything abnormal because in a democracy everybody is not bound to agree on an issue.”
A source that pleaded anonymity told The Niche that Tinubu would want to seize the opportunity as a payback time for all the degradation he suffered from Oyegun to ensure he is kicked out.
Oyegun, going by reports, said that the intrigue to uproot him at the Benin meeting was nothing but childish and a product of malice against his leadership.
Oyegun is not folding his hands rather as some of his foot soldiers like Rotimi Amaechi are not relenting in strategy.
On Tuesday, Oyegun also received the endorsement of some APC leaders from North-East, North-West and North-Central.
“A change of leadership is not on the cards. There is no surprise in the air. The dynamic national chairman is sure to win,” the leaders said.
They also urged Tinubu and other APC leaders in the South-West to back Oyegun’s candidacy as they need to avoid deadlock.
In a statement in Dutse by the chairman of APC United Front, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, the leaders praised Oyegun for his capacity at unifying the party, fostering collaboration and encouraging engagements that do not diminish others moral worth.
With this emerging faction the stage is getting set for the big fight for the soul of the party. What is certain is that as the convention draws nearer more spanners will be thrown in the works.
At the moment, it will be difficult to hazard a guess on who wins in this political chess game because anything can happen.