… As Tinubu’s men move to wrest party from control of govs

• President’s allies, Gov Bello at loggerheads in Kogi

• Oshiomhole floors Ayade in South South

• Issues are being resolved – Party spokesman

 

From Fred Itua, Abuja

The supremacy battle over the control of the soul of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has pitted key supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against governors and former governors elected on the platform of the party.

It was gathered that some key allies of the President are plotting to seize the party from the governors.

Immediate past governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, was named National chairman of APC in early August to replace former Governor Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State. Ganduje, a key ally of Tinubu, is facing his first litmus test since he assumed office. In many key states, especially in the North, Tinubu’s allies are making frantic moves to hijack the party from the firm grip of the governors. The latest development is the replacement of vacant positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC.

On Thursday, protesters stormed the APC National Secretariat. The presence of the fierce-looking security agents at the secretariat could not deter the protesters from Cross River State, numbering hundreds, who barricaded the Barcelona Hotel end of the street and grounded both vehicular and human traffic.

Also on Thursday, Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello stormed the APC secretariat at 9 am with his supporters. His mission was to stop the inauguration of the anointed officers from Kogi, comprising the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, and the now replaced Zonal Organising Secretary (North Central Zone), Ikani Okolo.

Governor Bello, it was gathered, had decided to storm the secretariat to stop the inauguration after undertaking a fruitless visit to the house of the party’s National Chairman, Ganduje, on Wednesday night. That was after the NWC had allegedly settled for the candidates believed to have the support of James Faleke, a close ally of Tinubu. In a show of solidarity, all members of the National Assembly on the platform of the party from Kogi State and a serving minister from the state joined Governor Bello in the protest.

The governor spent over seven hours before he left the party’s secretariat by 4.33pm.

However, reprieve may have come the way of Governor Bello, as Ganduje has resolved the NWC impasse. A source told the reporter: “After a rigorous meeting with key stakeholders, the party resolved that Kogi State governor, Bello, should nominate a candidate for the position of Zonal Organising Secretary (North Central), who is to replace the earlier nominated, Shuaibu Okolo

“The nomination of Duro Meseko, who is also nominated to serve as the Deputy National Publicity Secretary earlier by James Faleke stands.”

In the South South, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Saturday Sun has gathered, has hijacked the party structure. Oshiomhole is also a close ally of President Tinubu.

Despite having other members of NWC from Edo State, Oshiomhole is said to have grabbed the position of the National Women Leader of APC from Cross River State.

Current Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu was the National Women Leader of APC until her appointment by President Tinubu. She is from Cross River. Based on existing principles of the party, Cross River State ought to have nominated her replacement. But Oshiomhole, like other close allies of Tinubu, selected her replacement from Edo.

Saturday Sun has gathered that many APC governors are uncomfortable with the new development and may meet with President Tinubu soon to lodge an official complaint.

A source told Saturday Sun that the governors are worried that strategic placements of Tinubu’s men may soon affect their firm grip on the party ahead of key elections coming up later in the year.

He said Ganduje, who had yet to settle down as the APC National Chairman, may not succumb to the pressure from governors, who are unwilling to relinquish their control of the party.

The party chieftain said Tinubu might be worried that if the control of the party is left in the hands of governors, he might run into trouble during key elections in the near future. He added that unlike former President Muhammadu Buhari, the APC will be well funded by President Tinubu and the NWC of the party may not have to kowtow to governors to survive.

According to him, Buhari refused to fund the party when he held sway as President for eight years. He said the party had to depend on the benevolence of governors to survive, who in turn, exerted control on the party.

He said: “Tinubu faced great difficulties in securing the ticket of the party. In fact, governors decided the fate of Tinubu and he knows what that cost him. He doesn’t want a repeat of that.

“That’s why he’s already taking over the structure of the party. Since he can’t do that openly, he’s using his allies to achieve that. Tinubu is also targeting states where their governors appear to be ambitious and didn’t fully support him.

“As long as Tinubu remains the President, he will not relinquish the control of the ruling party. People need to understand that. Tinubu has seen the dangers in allowing governors to control the party.”

National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, told Saturday Sun that the issues are already being resolved, but he didn’t give a timeline.

“The issues raised by the protesters are being resolved,” he told Saturday Sun.