Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the previous week, publicly admitted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors were divided over salient issues such as zoning and the choice of date for the Party’s national convention.
El-Rufai, who addressed the press after the APC Governors met President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Villa, however, stated that they are now on the same page.
“We were divided over the timing of the convention. Some governors felt we should not have the convention until we resolve all the congresses’ issues in some states. Because, in some of the states, these matters are even in court.”
“So some governors held the view that we should wait until all these are resolved and that was not borne out of any agenda or selfish interest but just a realistic opposition to avoid violating any laws or putting our party structures or elected candidates in future.”
“But after our meeting last night to deliberate on the proposal by the national caretaker committee and our briefing with the president today, we are all on the same page,” he said.
POLITICS NIGERIA had previously reported the conflict of interests at some state levels, which have defied the intervention of Chairman of the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State and that of a resolution Committee, headed by Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
The Senator Adamu-led committee was expected to resolve real or seeming differences ahead of the National Convention. But despite visiting most of the factionalised state chapters of the APC, the rancour still persists, this newspaper reports.
In this analysis, POLITICS NIGERIA takes a look into the crises in Kano, Osun, Imo, Rivers, Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Kebbi and some others that must be resolved before the convention date.
Uzodinma VS Rochas Okorocha
The loyalty of APC members is divided between Governor Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha.
These two groups do not only have the main figures but also have two separate party chairmen.
For instance, the Uzodinma-led faction had already made plans for the Convention while the Okorocha camp, made up of former and current members of national and state assemblies, is working on a different game plan.
Amaechi versus Magnus Abe
Rivers State APC is divided between two factions — one is believed to be loyal to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and another to Senator Magnus Abe.
The faction loyal to Amaechi has been recognized by the national leadership but Senator Abe’s group is not.
It will amount to confusion if the party goes ahead with the national convention without first settling the differences among the two camps.
Controversial Omodewu’s leadership in Oyo APC
In Oyo APC, the inauguration of a new state executive committee further splits the party into two.
Also, the congresses conducted by the party at the ward, local government and state levels led to the further polarisation of the party.
While the emergence of Isaac Omodewu as Chairman was celebrated by some members led by late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, some state leaders had rejected the election of Omodewu, describing the process as a kangaroo state congress.
Meanwhile, the sudden death of Alao-Akala has altered political calculations and contests for the soul of the APC in Oyo.
Oyetola versus Aregbesola
The division in Osun APC may not be resolved soon as the crisis between former Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his successor, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, still lingers.
The duo’s relationship has turned sour after Oyetola won the 2018 governorship election. Various attempts by a former National Chairman of the party and former governor of the state, Chief Adebisi Akande, to resolve the imbroglio proved abortive.
However, the recent outburst by Aregbesola, who is the Minister of Interior, in Ilesa, showed that Oyetola, perhaps, maybe a victim of circumstance. Although Oyetola has won the state’s primaries against Aregbesola’s candidate, many still believe that does not put an end to the crisis.
Ganduje versus Shekarau
The decision of the Appeal Court in Abuja to overturn the judgement of a lower court in favour of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje-led faction of APC has further created more crises in Kano.
A group loyal to Sen Ibrahim Shekarau has vowed to approach the Supreme Court, dashing any hope of resolving the intra-party crisis soon. The Court of Appeal had returned the control of APC in the state to Ganduje.
Specifically, the Court of Appeal set aside the judgement of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory which invalidated the ward and local government congresses in the state.
The lower court had delivered the judgement in a suit filed by a faction of the party led by Shekarau, which had conducted parallel congresses. The court also declared the congresses of the plaintiffs as valid. It is believed that if the legal issues in Kano are not addressed, APC might run into a bigger problem.
Lai Mohammed versus Governor AbdulRazaq
Kwara APC has not known peace after the Otoge revolt toppled the Saraki hegemony in the state.
The battle for the soul of the party is basically between the incumbent Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and Minister of information, Lai Mohammed.
The recent emergence of Prince Sunday Fagbemi, a long time friend of Governor AbdulRazaq, as the new APC chairman in Kwara State, is further unsettling the party.
The group loyal to Lai Mohammed had since headed to court over the leadership tussle. At the moment, there is no hope of uniting APC members in Kwara ahead of the convention as all reconciliation efforts have met a brick wall.
