APC’s Unending Battles Within

POLITICAL NOTES

Since the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was sacked by the National Executive Committee (NEC) under controversial circumstances, the ruling party has remained in internally-induced crisis, despite all the public posturing over defections from the opposition parties.

The NWC was replaced with a Caretaker/Special Convention Committee, chaired by the governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, who was sworn in by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami.

The members of the sacked NWC and other APC leaders felt that the NEC action was illegal but could not contest the decision due to the fear of Buhari, which is the beginning of wisdom in the ruling party.

Few hours after the dissolution of the NWC, 18 members of the NWC loyal to Oshiomhole had issued a statement, insisting that the APC NEC meeting attended by President Muhammadu Buhari was illegal.

But in a move to scare the Oshiomhole’s loyalists, the Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Mr. Salihu Lukeman, advised the Buni-led committee not to hesitate to activate the expulsion clause in the APC constitution if the sacked NWC members went to court.

With these threats, coupled with the fear of Buhari, the sacked NWC members licked their wounds silently.

However, the recent Supreme Court’s minority judgment on the Ondo State governorship election has indicated that Buni’s appointment may not pass legal scrutiny.

In the minority judgment read by Justice Mary Peter-Odili and supported by Justices Ejembi Eko and Mohammed Saulawa, the apex court held that it was unlawful and a violation of Article 17(4) of the APC constitution and Section 183 of the 1999 Constitution for Buni to be serving as the National Chairman of the APC and the Governor of Yobe State at the same time.

Though the majority judgment ruled in favour of the APC, it was feared that the case would have turned against the party if the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had joined Buni, as a party to the suit challenging Ondo State governor’s candidacy, since Rotimi Akeredolu’s candidacy was endorsed by Buni.

With this development, the fate of the party’s nationwide congresses held yesterday under Buni’s leadership may remain uncertain.