APC GOVERNORS, MINISTERS, OTHERS LOBBY PRESIDENCY FOR HARMONISATION OF EXECUTIVES…After Parallel Congresses

Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) convention slated for June 23, some ministers in thecabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari and other powerful chieftains of the party have started lobbying the Presidency to ensure that their factions are accommodated in the new executives in their respective states.

Sunday Tribune learnt that the party buffs  who lost out in the ward, local government congresses which culminated in last weekend’s state congresses, were  jolted by the decision of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to recognise only the congresses monitored by the party, thus ignoring the parallel elections held by aggrieved members.

A party source revealed that following petitions coming from certain influential stalwarts and ministers have since been rebuffed by the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun- led NWC which insisted on according legitimacy to only the congresses at which its empanelled committees and officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were present, the aggrieved ministers have intensified their lobby within the Presidency.

Their plan, the source revealed, was to push for the harmonisation of the executives of their various states through the direct intervention of President Buhari.

The party source further revealed that such harmonisation might be initiated in certain states, especially in the South-West like Lagos, Oyo and Kwara where the foot soldiers of President Buhari lost out in the power game.

Apart from violence that trailed the exercise in many states, parallel congresses were held in about 10 states, while the aggrieved groups have since petitioned the party’s NWC. 

The affected states include, Ondo, Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Ebonyi, Oyo, Kwara and Bayelsa.

The source argued that the Presidency could not claim ignorance of what happened in Kwara, Lagos and Oyo states, as he claimed that “certain individuals around President Buhari who want to neutralise Bola Tinubu’s perceived wide influence in the South-West and Senator Saraki’s in Kwara instigated the parallel congresses in those states.”

Speaking with Sunday Tribune in a telephone interview, the  National Publicity Secretary of the party, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed that the party would certainly  considerrecommendations of the appeal panels in the affected states where parallel congresses were held.

He told Sunday Tribune that harmonisation would not be foreclosed, once both parties agree.

He said: “Yes, there could be harmonisation, but it can only come when the parties agree to harmonise. The party leadership wouldn’t force harmonisation because we have said that we would only recognise the outcome of the congresses where we sent people from the national secretariat to conduct".

Tribune