Unless it does something drastic, the All Progressives
Congress, APC, Nigeria’s main opposition party, may
implode before the 2015 general election, which are only six
months away, PREMIUM TIMES’ extensive analysis of the
situation within the party has shown.

The party, which is barely one year old, has found it
extremely difficult to halt the exit of key members in rapid
succession to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
and also to resolve internal disputes within its state
chapters, which have festered for months.

PREMIUM TIMES checks showed that in the last eight
months, no fewer than seven key members of the Joint
Inter-Merger Committee, JIMC, the central body that
supervised the fusion of some hitherto opposition parties,
have left the party, either due to irreconcilable differences
with fellow leaders or to pursue other political ambitions.

The APC was formed last year following the successful
merger talks between the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN],
Congress for Progressives Change [CPC], All Nigeria
Peoples Party [ANPP], and a section of the All Progressives
Grand Alliance, APGA.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,
registered the party on July 1, 2013.

In the run-up to its formation, the party had described itself
as “Noah’s Ark which Nigerians who are tired of the endless
drift of Nigeria must enter,” in reference to the biblical
vessel God directed Noah to build to save himself, family
and all the world’s animals from flood.

Shortly after the birth of the party, five governors and some
prominent members of the PDP joined the fold. Also, former
Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 11 senators, 37 members of
the House of Representatives and members of some State
Houses of Assembly and leaders of local government
councils also crossed to the party from the PDP.

However, the party soon descended into crisis across the
country leading to the departure of some of its influential
leaders. Those who have left so far are former Governors
Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Ali
Modu Sheriff (Borno), and Achike Udenwa (Imo).

Others are a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode,
a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission [EFCC], Nuhu Ribadu, a former Foreign Affairs
Minister, Tom Ikimi, a former senator, Annie Okonkwo and a
prominent political leader in Edo State, Osagie Ise-Iyamu.

A former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba is
believed to be so deeply aggrieved that he might quit the
APC as the party’s leadership appeared unable to resolve
the rift between him and Governor Ibikunle Amosun over the
battle for the soul of the party in Ogun state.

Similarly, a National Secretary aspirant at the party’s last
convention, Kashim Imam, who played a key role in
convincing the five former PDP governors last October to
join the APC, is also believed to be considering quitting the
party.

The development, analysts say, does not only seem to have
belittled the entry of a former Vice President Atiku, the
governors and other former top members of the PDP into
the APC, but also raises concern about the ability of the
leadership of the opposition party to resolve disputes.

Mr. Shekarau, a two-time governor of Kano State, who led
the ANPP to the merger talks and participated actively in all
the meetings, was the first to quit the APC last January.
Shortly afterwards, Mr. Shekarau, the presidential candidate
of the ANPP in the 2011 presidential election, took up
appointment with the PDP-led federal administration as
Minister of Education.

Mr. Shekarau’s major grouse was the alleged shoddy
process that led to the admission of his successor,
Governor Kwankwaso to the APC last year. He felt deeply
disrespected that an APC delegation, consisting top leaders
of the fold, visited the Government House, Kano, to woo the
governor into the party without consulting him or at least
give him a heads up.

On his part, former Governor Bafarawa, who was a member
of the Constitution sub-committee of the JIMC, allegedly felt
uncomfortable with the admission of his political rival,
Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State to the APC. He
defected to the PDP in January. He also complained that he
was left out of the arrangements that culminated in the
admission of Mr. Wamakko to the party.

Mr. Sheriff also left the party last month for the PDP.
Although he was not a member of any of the sub-
committees of JIMC, the former senator featured in virtually
all the meetings of the leaders of the ANPP where
negotiations were made.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Mr. Sheriff was disturbed by
the manner he was perceived by some of the APC leaders
who had suspicious of his closeness to the PDP as well as
his alleged role in the birth of the Boko Haram sect when he
was governor.

It was also learnt that the former governor was also
concerned that the leaders took sides with Governor Kashim
Shettima in the face-off between him and the governor.
A few months ago, Mr. Sheriff almost came to blows with a
leader of the party and former Lagos State Governor, Bola
Tinubu.

Mr. Udenwa, who is also a former Minister of Commerce,
served in the Manifesto Committee (which also considered
the APC Motto, Slogan and Message) of the JIMC. But he
suddenly dumped the party earlier in the year although he
gave no reason for his exit. He has since returned to the
PDP on whose platform he was governor between 1999 and
2003.

Mr. Okonkwo left the party following his inability to secure
the governorship ticket of the party in Anambra State for the
November 2013 election and his subsequent disagreement
with Chris Ngige, who picked the ticket.
Mr. Ize-Iyamu, who functioned as the ACN Chairman in Edo
State was a member of INEC-Legal and Constitution
Compliance Committee during the merger. He however fell
out with Governor Adams Oshiomhole who he accused of
exhibiting “anti-democratic posture.”

On his part, Mr. Ribadu, whose exit from the APC on August
16 appeared the most shocking of all. After he joined the
PDP, he obtained the PDP nomination form to contest the
vacant seat of the governor of Adamawa State. He has
since withdrawn from the race.

Although, the ACN presidential candidate in 2011 did not
serve in any of the merger subcommittees, he attended
some of the meetings of the leaders and also accompanied
them to woo prominent politicians into the APC.
Mr. Ikimi, who dumped the APC late August, did not only
lead the ACN to the merger talks, he hosted the meetings of
the merger committee in his Abuja home.

His main grouse for leaving the party was because he was
blocked by some leaders of the party, notably Mr. Tinubu
and the governors from contesting the position of the
national chairman during the June convention of the party.
He had issued a statement shortly after the convention
accusing the governors of the party and Mr. Tinubu of
manipulating the process to pick Mr. Oyegun as national
chairman.

In an advertorial on Tuesday, the former minister, who was
the founding national chairman of the defunct National
Republican Convention, NRC, again blamed the defections of
some chieftains of the party on Mr. Tinubu.
“It is not a coincidence to me that the prominent members
of APC targeted by Bola Tinubu such as Alhaji Bafarawa,
Sen Ali Modu Sheriff and myself are former NRC members
or those perceived as Conservatives,” Mr. Ikimi alleged. Mr.
Ikimi is already on his way to his former party, the PDP.

Mr. Osoba, a two-time governor of Ogun State who served
in the Constitution sub-committee of the JIMC. The former
Ogun governor, those close to him say, has commenced
discussions with his loyalists on the possibility of floating
another party or joining an existing one.

Internal Wrangling in States
Many state chapters of the APC are also bedevilled by
internal wrangling, which pundits believe might lead to
implosion in the party if not carefully handled.
We present a snapshot of the crises in some of the states
below.

Katsina: In this northwestern state from where a leader of
the APC, Muhammadu Buhari, hails from, the opposition
party is swimming in trouble waters. The main characters in
the leadership crisis are a former Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Aminu Masari; a former Senate Chief Whip,
Kanti Bello; Abu Ibrahim, also a former senator; Abdullahi
Aminchi; a former member of the House of Representatives,
Usman Bugaje; Abdulazeez Yar’ Adua, a retired colonel and
younger brother of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua;
Ismaila Isa and Sada Ilu. All the combatants are nursing
governorship ambition. The source of the crisis was the
outcome of the membership registration and ward
congresses organized by the party, which produced
Mustapha Inuwa, a crony of Mr. Masari as state chairman.

Adamawa: The impeachment of former Governor Murtala
Nyako may have reduced the power tussle in the APC. Mr.
Nyako was among the five PDP governors that defected to
the APC last October. His entry generated heat as the
original members of the party, including Buba Marwa and
Marcus Ginduri, both CPC and ACN governorship candidates
in the 2001 election, kicked against it. Their main grouse
was that the APC structure was handed over to the former
governor who was believed to have come alone into the
party from the PDP.

Kwara: It was the first state that showed signs of crisis
when the five PDP governors, including Abdulfatah Ahmed
left PDP for APC. The ACN governorship candidate in the
2011 election, Dele Belgore faulted the national leadership
for accepting to admit the governor and the handing over of
the party structure to the PDP. The coming of Bukola Saraki,
seen as the godfather of Kwara politics, worsened the
situation. Before long, Mr. Belgore dumped the party for the
PDP.

Plateau: In Plateau, the APC crisis has been enmeshed in
crisis over the outcome of its state congress, especially the
chairmanship position, won by Latep Dabang, a former aide
to former Governor, Joshua Dariye. It was however
aggravated by the procedure adopted for picking members
of the Board of Trustees, BoT. The crisis generated to some
aggrieved members of the opposition party locking out
some of their leaders during a meeting. A former senator,
John Shagaya and Amos Gombi, contested for the position.

Abia: The crisis is also traceable to the congress. A faction
of the APC in the state, which styled itself ‘Integrity Group’
warned after a meeting in Aba that the party would be
doomed in the state if the party did not keep its promise to
its members in the state.

Bayelsa: In Bayelsa, the APC chairman, Tiwei Orunimighe,
was at the receiving end when aggrieved members under
the aegis of Third Force descended on him, accusing him of
high-handedness, and disrespectful cum autocratic
conducts. They also accused the chairman of squandering
N7.2 million given for the inauguration of State Executive
Council (SEC) without the approval of the executive
committee members. The group also lampooned a leader of
the APC and former governor of the state, Timipre Sylva of
leading the party from leading it from outside the state
using his cronies. The matter has not been resolved.
Ekiti: The party was thrown into crisis when the leader of its
caucus in the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele
declared his interest in the June governorship election in the
state. However, the governor, Kayode Fayemi saw the move
as being one against his plan to return for a second term in
office. Mr. Bamidele was believed to have shown interest in
the governorship seat based on a purported agreement that
the governor would spend one term in office. The crisis
snowballed into a situation where the lawmaker was booted
out as caucus leader. While the crisis raged, the party held
all-inclusive meeting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. In
attendance were the then interim National Chairman, Bisi
Akande, Ekiti APC Chairman, Olajide Awe, former Lagos
State Governor, Bola Tinubu, APC South West zonal
Chairman, Niyi Adebayo, Tony Adeniyi, Dele Alake, Senators
Femi Ojudu and Olu Adetunmbi.

The meeting could not however resolve the crisis, but
instead endorsed Mr. Fayemi for a second term. The
decision infuriated Mr. Bamidele who angrily defected to the
Labour Party, where he was handed over the party’s ticket.
Both Messrs. Fayemi and Bamidele lost the election to the
PDP candidate, Ayo Fayose.

Oyo: The crisis in the Oyo State chapter of the party reached
its apogee when the senator representing the Central
Senatorial District, Ayo Adeseun about a month ago dumped
the party for the PDP and declared his intention to take
Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s job come 2015. The senator, who
was originally a member of the PDP, said he left because
there is more internal democracy in the PDP than the APC.
Only on Tuesday, the second APC senator, Olufemi Lanlehi
dumped the party for the Accord Party, a development that
could jeopardise the chances of Mr. Ajimobi in next year’s
election.

Edo: Sometime in April, long before John Oyegun, a former
governor of Edo State became the APC national chairman,
some of the party leaders in the state allegedly held a secret
meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and the
Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of the PDP, Chief Tony
Anenih in Abuja.

They afterwards gave the Edo State Governor, Adams
Oshiomhole a seven-day ultimatum to cancel what they
referred to as “fraudulent membership” registration exercise
and ward and local government congress, or face the
consequence. When the governor did not yield to the
pressure, the aggrieved members made good their threat by
defecting to the PDP.

Predictions of implosion
Before and after its registration, some politicians had
predicted that the APC would collapse because it was the
coming together of strange bedfellows.

The Presidency, which spoke through the Senior Special
Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe,
had said the APC was destined to implode.

He said, “The APC boat is destined for the Red Sea and in
fact, I remember that when we went to Israel, we prayed to
God to remove all the people troubling Nigeria. So, by what
is happening now, I believe that God is working quietly to
gather these people. By the time Jonathan defeats those
giants, God will take all the glory and people will know that
the APC is heading for failure.”

The chairman of the PDP, Lagos State, Tunji Shelle said,
“From what I can see in the merger and registration of APC,
all of them are strange bedfellows. They will start fighting
one another over positions, opportunities and party
structures. At the end of the day, sharing of offices will
polarize them and ideological differences will divide them.
And if the centre cannot hold, everybody will go back to his
own tent. That is what I see happening to APC between now
and 2014, not even 2015.”

The immediate past National Chairman of the PDP,
Bamanga Tukur, had dismissed the APC as an unserious
party. “There is a desperate political coalition in the country
now known as the APC; whose stock in trade is insults,
attacks and lack of decorum because the party and her
members have nothing to offer the people of Nigeria except
only a desperate plan to take over power at all costs.”
Hope in the horizon

Mr. Oyegun assured the party would resolve all the
misunderstandings and crises currently bedevilling the
party, especially those that arose from the conduct of the
congresses.
“A committee is working on that,” he told PREMIUM TIMES
in a telephone interview.

A member of the defunct merger committee, Osita
Okechukwu said the APC was highly concerned about the
defections and the crisis.

He, however, said the consolation was that those who
defected did not leave with their supporters.
“Between the PDP and APC, their memberships do not make
up to 10 per cent of the Nigerian electorate. We are
concerned more about the electorate,” Mr. Okechukwu told
PREMIUM TIMES.
“Is the Nigerian electorate aware that APC is a change
agent? It is not about those who defected or who did not
defect. These are ingredients of any election in liberal
democracy. PDP had boasted that they are master poachers
and so what we pray for is that INEC remains transparent.”

The APC chieftain dismissed allegations made against Mr.
Tinubu by Mr. Ikimi.

According to him, two days before the JIMC concluded its
meeting, a former governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yarima
moved a motion that Messrs. Ikimi and Shekarau be
adopted as interim national chairman and national secretary
of the APC, respectively.

Mr. Yarima, he said, also said a former deputy governor of
Bauchi State be made the deputy national chairman.
Mr. Okechukwu said it was he (Okechukwu) who moved a
counter motion saying there was no such provision in the
merger documents that says its committee members be
nominated into those positions.

On the crisis in the states, he said they were not unexpected
because three or four groups were coming together and so
there would be agitations.

The Chairman, Partnership for Electoral Reforms, Ezenwa
Nwagwu, said he was not surprised by the defection of
politicians from APC.

“The movements have been meteoric. But If you proceed
from the assumption that there is a difference between the
PDP and APC, then you will be surprise at the what they are
doing,” he said.

Mr. Nwagwu, a member of the just-concluded National
Conference said the nation’s political institutions would not
develop if the parties are simply vote-catching machines.
He expressed concern that Nigerian voters are more
concerned with individuals than parties.

https://m.premiumtimesng.com/headlines/167818-apc-in-disarray-as-key-leaders-leave-in-droves.html

APC was formed with the singular purpose of wrestling power from Jonathan!

Since they never have any ideology, selfishness will surely break their ranks.

op where did this news develop?at your backyard?.....state ur source,,,,