Fresh facts have emerged on why the non-elective
mini-convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to
suffer series of postponements.
Daily Sun gathered that ill health of President Muhammadu
Buhari, the financial crisis rocking the party, as well as the divisions among
its leaders forced the party convention into abeyance.
A member of the party’s national leadership, who spoke to
Daily Sun in confidence, disclosed that the National Working Committee (NWC)
had to cancel the first convention, earlier fixed for April 29, 2017 because
the Presidency was not comfortable with the date, adding that they had promised
to give them a new date.
Although the party constitution, which stipulated that the
party must organise convention every two years, did not specify the
consequences of such failure on the future of the leadership of the party, the
situation has, however, created palpable tension and speculation of impeachment
moves against the party chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and his NWC members.
However, reacting to the indefinite postponement, our source
noted that while the party leadership awaited a new date from the Presidency,
Buhari’s health challenge forced them into discontinuing discussions on the new
date, stressing that his current health status was the main reason for the
indefinite postponement.
Said he: “Don’t forget that it is not possible for the party
to hold national convention without President Buhari being physically present.
The President must be part of the convention, especially to forestall the
dangers of certain forces and factions within the party threatening to hijack
the party machinery from succeeding.
“Mr. President’s health challenges necessitated the delay in
the Presidency giving the party leadership new date for the convention after
rejecting the April date the party leadership initially fixed earlier this
year. Now that Mr. President is out of country on medical trip to London, we
have to discontinue every arrangement about the convention until he returns in
good health.”
Giving further reasons for the continued postponement, our
source said the financial crisis rocking the party equally contributed majorly
to the problem, adding that even if the President had sound health, funds must
come from other sources, especially state governors.
“Finance is a big factor, but I can tell you that it is not
only that. You know that even if the president were in very good health, the
party will still need the governors making financial commitments to enable us
organise a quality convention, which will involve thousands of delegates across
the country,” our source said.
However, speaking on the convention recently, Odigie-Oyegun
said the APC postponed it indefinitely, stressing that no date had been fixed
yet.
Oyegun, who made the disclosure while fielding questions
from newsmen during a two-day external communication workshop organised for the
APC state publicity secretaries in Abuja, said consultations were, however,
still ongoing.
Asked to update Nigerians on when APC would hold its
convention, Oyegun said: “I want to assure Nigerians that the party will hold
the convention. Nobody knows the time it would be held, but the assurance I
want to give you is that it would be held.”
Many had argued that part of the reasons for the delay in
holding the convention was the Ondo State governorship primary elections, which
caused devastating divisions in the party, in addition to the failure of the
party’s leadership to actualise the proposed replacement of the Board of
Trustees (BoT) with the National Elders Council.
The crisis that trailed the Ondo governorship primary
resulted in the call by former governor of Lagos State and chieftain of the
party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for the resignation of Odigie-Oyegun, over what he
described as fraudulent manipulation of the electoral processes in favour of
Governor Rotimi Akereduolu.
Said Tinubu then: “In essence, the party was the embodiment
of a democratic promise made between its members as well as a democratic vow
made to the public. Evidently, some errant members believe promises and vows
are mere words to be easily spoken and more easily broken. Chairman John Oyegun
has breached these good pledges in a most overt and brazen display.
“In doing so, Oyegun has dealt a heavy blow to the very
party he professes to lead. It is an awful parent who suffocates his own child
for the sake of a few naira. The party was supposed to buttress APC members
elected to government at all levels. Because of Oyegun’s conduct of our
affairs, the party is rapidly becoming an albatross to those it was meant to
help. Oyegun’s comportment regarding the Ondo State primary will become the
textbook definition of political treachery and malfeasance of the basest order.
“Again, during the National Executive Committee (NEC)
meeting held in 2015, the party had resolved to scrap the Board of Trustees
(BoT) and replace it with the National Elders Council, however, not even the
BoT or the Elders’ Council has met to discuss myriad of issues crippling the
party.”
The APC governors recently held several hours meeting with
the NWC, resolving, among other things, to find a convenient date for the
convention, just as they admitted that the ruling party is not adequately
funded.
Commenting on the outcome of the meeting, Kaduna State
governor, Nasir El-Rufai, said they resolved “to look at arrangements for our
mid-term convention and put in place the resources necessary to ensure that we
have a convention as required by the constitution
“The 24 APC governors have committed to work assiduously at
strengthening and rebuilding the party and enduring reconciliation and
unification of the party at all levels. We also resolved to give the national
leadership all the support it needs. We will also engage in fund raising from
our donors, sympathisers of the APC to ensure that the national headquarters
and indeed all organs of the party have the wherewithal to continue the difficult
work of rebuilding the party.”
By Romanus Ugwu
