APC in last minute effort to mend rifts in states – Media Report

*Ogun makes u-turn, as Buhari, govs wade into Ambode, Tinubu rift

Intrigues have continued to play out in many states controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) where governors have received the green light to hold indirect primaries against the wishes of some members that felt they would be edged out.

The governors, with the exception of few who opted for direct primaries, now have absolute control of who would get what as the party begins its primary election series with presidential primary on Sept. 25, followed by gubernatorial primaries on Sept. 29.

The APC governors had at a meeting which rounded off late in the evening of Wednesday, promised to support the party’s leadership to ensure free and transparent primary elections to come out with the party’s candidates for the 2019 general elections.

But credible sources said the promise for the free and fair elections by the governors came after they had the commitment of the APC leadership led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for them to be allowed to organize various primaries through delegates’ votes.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues at the end of their closed – door meeting,  said they discussed the mode of primaries to be adopted to pick the party’s candidates for all elective offices for the 2019 general elections.

Okorocha, however, said most of the APC-controlled states had resolved to adopt indirect primaries to pick the party’s candidates.

Asked to speak on how the party would handle the situation in states like Kaduna and Zamfara states, where there were still acrimonies over the mode of primaries, Okorocha said, “Like the NEC made it clear that the parties will decide at every state level what they want, either direct or indirect primaries.

“Normally you would know that our party is even a peaceful party. It is the most peaceful party in Nigeria right now where there are no skirmishes and scuffles. If you are looking at other parties, you would know there is no party at all. So these minor complains here and there is expected because even in a family you have it.”

Our correspondents report that some of the states that earlier endorsed direct primaries or consensus such as Edo and Ogun, yesterday made a U-turn and adopted indirect primary option in an apparent compliance with what the governors agreed during their meeting in Abuja.

Okorocha, however, promised that aspirants would be given equal opportunity to vie for various elective positions. But many APC legislators including senators and House of Representatives members had kicked against indirect primaries, heightening fears of revolt after the process which would most likely spell a dark cloud on their political future.

For now, with the free hand given to them coupled with the fact that they already have delegates from ward to state levels in their control, most APC governors would determine who gets what as most of the legislators do not control delegates.

“We have adopted both direct and indirect primaries, and most of the states are going for indirect primaries, but for the President, it is going to be direct primaries,” Okorocha said.

Okorocha assured that both APC governors and the National Working Committee (NWC) were working to ensure victory for the party in the 2019 general elections.

But speaking on the development, Gov. Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State, said it was not possible for all the party members to agree on a particular mode of primaries.

Daily Trust reports that Lagos, Kano, Niger among others had opted for direct primaries, while Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kogi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Plateau, Zamfara and many others in North Central, South East, South South and South West had opted for indirect primaries.

“And in Kaduna State where I am the governor by the grace of God, the majority of the State Executive Committee members decided on indirect primaries. If one or two members don’t agree, that’s off, that is not the decision of NEC,” he said.

Oshiomhole said the task before the party ahead of 2019 general elections was clear.

“We have a tradition as a progressive party to submit ourselves to the dictates of our party and we believe in internal democracy because we are democrats and democracy must begin from within the house before we can do it outside.

“All of us, governors, National Working Committee and even the President, agreed that this is the way to go and that is what we are going to do,” Oshiomhole said.

Ogun, Edo make U-turn

The Ogun State chapter of APC, yesterday, shifted ground on adoption of direct primaries for electing its candidates where consensus arrangement failed, apparently to douse tension and crisis which trailed the last exercise.

On September 5, the party adopted consensus arrangement/direct primaries and subsequently picked consensus candidates for all elective positions in the state, a development which created internal party squabbles.

However, at an expanded State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting of the APC in Abeokuta, the party reversed its earlier decision and adopted indirect primaries.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who is a beneficiary of consensus arrangement as Ogun Central senatorial candidate, was represented at the meeting by his deputy, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga.

Out of 111 members present at the SEC meeting, 109 adopted the review following a motion moved by APC chairman, Sagamu Local Government, Segun Solarin and seconded by former Ogun Assembly speaker, Bolanle Gbeleyi.

The chairman of APC in Edo State, Aslem Ojezua, said the party adopted the indirect primaries in the state in order not to disenfranchise its new members.

There had been speculation that the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, and Governor Godwin Obaseki, had allegedly disagreed over the method to use.

But the state chapter had denied any rift between Oshiomhole and Obaseki.

Buhari, govs wade into Ambode, Tinubu rift

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode over the protracted crisis in the Lagos State chapter of the party.

National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu had reportedly foreclosed a second term for Ambode on the platform of the party.

Although the reasons for the meeting between Buhari and Ambode were not made public yesterday, credible sources said the governor wanted the president to personally persuade Tinubu to ‘forgive’ him.

One of the sources said, “The meeting was about APC gubernatorial primaries and Ambode wants the president to talk; he wants the president to speak to Tinubu and settle the dispute.

“Maybe what President Buhari told the governor would come to the fore in the coming days; but for now, only Tinubu can say he has forgiven the governor or not.”

Another source said President Buhari would between today and early next week meet with other APC stakeholders in Lagos State to find a way out of the impasse.

Sources close to Wednesday’s meeting of APC leaders in Abuja said the governors had spoken in defence of Ambode and urged the party leadership to protect him.

A source close to one of the governors, said, “The chief executives believe that an injury to one of them is an injury to all of them; they therefore urged the leadership under Oshiomhole to talk to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on the matter.

“The governors believe that there is a problem but is not something that cannot be addressed; it is wrong to deny a governor his right to seek for a second term,” he said.

But Oshiomhole while speaking on the matter said Lagos State was at peace.

“I think our party in Lagos is at peace, there are conversations going on at the ward level across the 8,500 wards or there about and across the country.

He dismissed the notion that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was present at the meeting because he was in trouble with his state chapter.

“To say that you have never seen Lagos State governor in our meetings is to the extent that your lens is blurred. My records and minutes of our meetings will show the participation of Lagos State governor in all the meetings in which he has been invited.

“But like some other governors, some meetings have coincided with some other activities. There is no governor including my humble self when I was a governor, I didn’t manage to achieve 100 per cent attendance. Even in parliament, there are minimum requirements so I don’t think it is fair to suggest that you have seen somebody here because of anything.”

In Lagos, sources said  Ambode will know his fate in the next 24 hours.

Findings by Daily Trust at the APC State Secretariat in Acme road, Ikeja revealed that forces especially those within the Mandate Caucus of the party working against Ambode’s return ticket, were still pulling the strings as at yesterday afternoon.

A party chieftain said, “For now, we can all look towards Saturday, September 22 because by then, that would be exactly one week to the D-day when the gubernatorial primary would take place.”

But another chieftain of the party who is also a key stakeholder of the Mandate caucus,  said they were not unaware of moves by the governor’s camp.

“We are aware that the Governor is in Abuja. But let me tell you, there is a limit to the extent that Abuja can help his case because we are the ones at the grassroots and we were the direct recipients of the governor’s actions or inactions,” he said. (Daily Trust)