- Breakaway group are hungry people –Oshiomhole
The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have finally put the party in jeopardy as states such as Kaudna and Bauchi have become the major rallying points in the battle. This is not surprisisng going by the personalities of those involved as Saturday Telegraph gathered that the Reformed APC leaders have zeroed in on the two as leading states. In Bauchi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has been at loggerheads with the state Governor, Muhammed Abubakar, while Senator Shehu Sani is slugging it out with Governor Nasir el-Rufai in Kaduna. The personalities of the duo as well as their large followership may have given the states an edge in the battle against the main faction of the party. Sani had recently said the mend fencing efforts of the new APC chiarman, Adams Oshiomhole, is an effort in futility.
BAUCHI Faction, a result of injustice
Following the lingering crisis in the ruling party, APC, a former Chairman All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) Alhaji Sani Shehu, has been appointed as the substantial Chairman of Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), Bauchi State chapter. Speaking exclusively to Saturday Telegraph in Bauchi Alhaji Nasiru Darazo confirmed that Sani Shehu was appointed Wednesday by the National Chairman of R-APC Alhaji Buba Galadima and he was yet to return from his journey. “We have to break up because there is no longer Justice, fairness and transparency in the party. State governors have being giving much power to do and undo within the party. They have made the APC unpopular in their states, key stakeholders like Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Dr. Yakubu Lame, a former Minister Police Affairs and others are no longer consulted and they had no input in the congresses.”
KADUNA APC became an arm of state govt, says R-APC
The R-APC in Kaduna State chapter, yesterday said the change promised by the APC was a fake one. Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday, Colonel Dauda Gora (Rtd), the chairman of the new group in the state, said: “The case of Kaduna State is particularly pathetic given that prominent and founding members of the party in the state including two distinguished senators were no longer found worthy for consultation in the party and the governance process. “The worse form of arrogance has been on display since assumption of office of the present state government. Worse of it all, the APC state executive became an appendage of the state government and therefore rendered ineffectual. “Our revered traditional rulers have been shown complete contempt, our educational system is in complete chaos and the civil service which used to be the envy of other states is now lying prostrate. Thousands of civil servants sacked without their entitlements paid. The above exemplifies the recklessness of the present government of Kaduna State.”
ONDO We are not part of breakaway faction
The factional leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has dissociated itself from the R-APC. Similarly, state chapter of the party said it was not perturbed by the breaking of the party into factions both at the state and national levels. The Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Alex Kalejaye, said the party had moved on since it concluded its ward, local and state congresses and was not moved by the fear of factions. This development came as the Chairman and Secretary of the faction of APC in the state, Idowu Otetubi and Gani Mohammed, said since they had filed a suit challenging the emergence of Ade Adetimehin-led executive in law court, they would not be part of the national faction of the party. They said they would wait for the outcome of the present consultations and case in court before they take the next line of action. The Reformed APC had named Otetubi who emerged from the factional congress held in the state as one of its leaders in the country. Mohammed also emerged as secretary at the factional congress in the state. But Otetubi in a statement made available to reporters said the national faction was unnecessary because of the efforts of the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, in resolving the crisis rocking the party. The statement titled: ‘I am not part of National Faction of APC’ and signed by Otetubi stated: “I am not part of R-APC at all. I was not consulted, I did not attend any meeting or press conference. I believe in the leadership of Adams Oshiomhole and I believe he has a very strong character to correct the injustices in the last APC congresses in the states. I therefore dissociate and disclaim myself from the purported R-APC.”
RIVERS Uneasy calm
Despite the factions in the Rivers State chapter of the APC there has been no indication that the faction led by Sen. Magnus Ngei Abe will join the breakaway R-APC. The magnitude of the crisis in Rivers APC in the build-up to the recent congresses, reverberated in Abuja, where national party officials placed Rivers among the states that needed special attention after the faction of Abe claimed that Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, singlehandedly installed Ojukaye Flag- Amachree as party chairman. Rather than join the R-APC as expected by observers, a source in the camp of Abe dismissed any plan to join the breakaway party. Meanwhile, a chieftain of the party, Chief Anab Sara-Igbe, has appealed to Amaechi to allow a level playing field in the emergence of the party’s governorship candidate come 2019, wondering how the party would be run “now that APC has joined the league of factions?” Igbe, whose message appeared on his Facebook wall, said: “Since Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi is not contesting for governorship, then he should lie low, operate from the background and allow the aspirant to jostle for the members of the party to choose whom they want to contest the governorship election of the state in 2019.” But the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, an ally of Amaechi, who was among those who reacted to the post said: “Who is surprised at Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe’s piece? Well, I’m not, I’ll be a fool to be. So, Chief ride on!”
PLATEAIU R-APC doesn’t exist in Plateau
The APC Plateau State chapter has disclosed that RAPC only exists in Abuja and cannot be found in Plateau State. State Secretary of the party Alhaji Bashir Sati Musa told Saturday Telegraph in Jos that the party did not have members of Reform APC in the state. “Reformed APC only exist in Abuja, not Plateau State and let me make it very clear that the APC in Plateau State doesn’t have any reformed APC members, we are already the APC in the main stream, as far as I know Plateau State is one APC. I have not heard anybody anywhere claiming to come from a reformed group.” He said the APC in the state had always remained united and no issues of any reformed anywhere According to him the state was honoured as the best during the ward, LGs and state congresses of the party as well as the best participating state during the National Convention in Abuja recently. He said: “From the ward, LG, state and national convention of the party, Plateau State has remained resolute and united and the best in all forms of arrangement.”
ABIA There is unity
in Abia The current crisis rocking the ruling APC seems not to have effect in Abia State as none of the bigwigs of the party in the state has been linked to the R-APC. Saturday Telegraph learnt that all the governorship aspirant of APC in Abia, all the chieftains of the party and the few BoT members of the party from Abia are still with the party. Speaking to our reporter in Aba, the Publicity Secretary of Abia APC, Comrade Ben Godson, said the party was intact and had no reason to panic as there is no faction of any kind. “As I speak to you, Abia APC is intact. There’s no movement. The name they wrote and said it’s our own Sam Nkire was with us on a meeting on Wednesday chaired by Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu in Umuahia. “Most of those who have governorship ambitions like Dr. Uche Ogah were there. Hon. Martins Azubuike was there, even our new members like Friday Nwosu was there as well. Senator Chris Adigije was there. The state chairman of the party was there. “So, Chief Sam Nkire whom they said moved the other way is still a member of APC. A full BoT member. He was in a meeting with us that same day.”
DELTA We have nothing to do with R-APC
The Delta State chapter of the APC has disowned the splinter R-APC. The Secretary of the party, Comrade Chidi Okonji, said the proponents of the breakaway group came from the PDP with sinister motive and left with failure. He said their departure would make peace to prevail in the party across the country, and help the party in the state to reposition for victory ahead of 2019 general elections. He said it would serve as good omen if the aggrieved faction of APC from PDP in the state breaks away with the splinter group. He said: “APC in Delta state has nothing to do with R-APC. I doubt if they can rear their ugly head in the state. They are the sinister PDP group that joined APC with indefinite intention but went back when they failed to realise their plans to destabilise the party. Their departure, if it happens, will make the party stronger in Delta State. If aggrieved members of PDP should leave, APC will be deeply rooted in Delta State. It will enable us to restrategise for victory in 2019.” KANO The Chairman All Progressive Congress in Kano Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, has appealed to all aggrieved members of the party who followed Engr. Buba Galadima to the Reformed APC to give the new leadership of Adam Oshiomhole time to actualise reconciliation process he started. Abdullahi Abbas told Saturday Telegraph in Kano in his response to the formation of the Reformed APC that people like Buba Galadima had no business in the party. He said APC God’s willing would emerge victorious in the 2019 elections; that is why it becomes paramount for them not to allow anybody make them lose such golden opportunity of being on the victorious train. ” I’m optimistic that APC will win the next coming elections with a landslide that is why I’m appealing to our beloved lawmakers, governors and other ranking members of the party to sheaths their sword and allow peace to prevail in the party “, Abbas said
OSUN No divisions
in Osun There is no R-APC in Osun State, investigations revealed. Saturday Telegraph checks in the party circle showed that, such a development has not occurred within the party in the state and it may not likely be witnessed due to the following reasons given by the spokesperson for the party, Kunle Oyatomi. Oyatomi said there was no such development and there could never be in the state because of unity, cohesion and outstanding love among the party members.
CROSS RIVER No R-APC
in C’River The re-elected National Vice Chairman of the APC, South South, Ntufam Hilliard Etta, has declared that there is no RAPC in Cross River State. Etta said the state had no faction, explaining that issues relating to factions had been settled with the outcome of the national convention. “As far as I am concerned, there is nothing like that (RAPC) in the state. I don’t know what it means but I know that we don’t have it in the state,” he said.
NIGER Only one APC
In Niger state, the status quo remains as the Chairman of the APC in the state, Engr. Mohammed Jibrin Imam, confirmed that no member is teaming up with other parties. The state chairman of the party said there was no such thing as APC members teaming with R-APC or the nPDP. He stated: “There is nothing like that; none of our members in Niger is teaming up with the R-APC or nPDP. No member of the APC is leaving because we do not have any crisis here”.
.new telegraph
