With Edo and Ondo governor­ship elections just few months away, there is disquiet in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the failure of the reconciliation committee of the party headed by Chief Bisi Akande, former Osun State governor and interim national chairman of the party, to unite warring fac­tions in the two states.

The Independent Nation­al Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed September 19 for the governorship elec­tion in Edo and October 10 for the Ondo governorship poll.

The commission on Mon­day also reaffirmed its plans to go ahead with the gover­norship elections in Edo and Ondo states as scheduled, notwithstanding the disrup­tions caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

However, not much has been heard from the Akande reconciliation committee since its inauguration in February 10 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

It would be recalled that the committee was inaugu­rated on February 10 after the former chairman and Senate President, Ahmad La­wan, was dropped following protest from some quarters, particularly, governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, who is in bitter battle with the na­tional chairman, Adams Os­hiomhole, over the control of the party in the state.

Since the inauguration of the committee, nothing has been heard and the crisis in the APC, especially in Edo and Ondo where chieftains of the party are locked in bit­ter rivalry while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is waiting in the wings to ben­efit from the party.

In Edo, the ongoing war between loyalists of Gover­nor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Comrade Ad­ams Oshiomhole, who is the party’s national chairman is threatening the chances of the APC in the state, with many sharing the opinion that a reconciliation is ur­gently needed if the state will not go the way of the PDP, which is still regarded as a strong opposition in the state.

In Ondo State, the Unity Group led by former deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, is opposed to the second term ambition of the state gover­nor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who they accused of running the affairs of the state with his family to the exclusion of oth­er stakeholders in the party.

The Olanusi-led group, which has shortlisted and interviewed some governor­ship aspirants and is already planning to pick a consensus candidate, is also insisting on the implementation of the resolutions handed down by the Tinubu-led reconciliation team in July last year.

Abiodun Akinlose, a chief­tain of the APC in Ondo, who spoke with our correspon­dent, said it is unfortunate that not a single meeting has been held by the Akande com­mittee with the political glad­iators in the state since the committee was inaugurated.

“We are calling the atten­tion of Mr. President and other party leaders to the fact that Ondo State APC is still divided more than ever before. We can’t afford to lose Ondo State to the PDP. The crisis here is festering and the election is just around the corner. I haven’t heard anything from the Akande-led committee”.

Speaking with our corre­spondent, a member of the reconciliation committee who spoke on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the fact that the committee has been greatly hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic which distorted its plans.

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According to him, but the unfortunate incident, the committee could have achieved a great deal in uniting the warring factions and putting the APC in good shape in the two affected states.

He added that it is not log­ical to call state governors to attend party meetings when they are currently battling with a life and death situation with no solution in sight.

“Yes, I must acknowledge the concerns of the APC members in Edo, Ondo and other affected states. But you are a witness to what is hap­pening in the country today. Nobody planned for the out­break of COVID-19 but it has come and distorted all plans worldwide.

“There is nothing the committee can do at the mo­ment, even though I under­stand that Papa Akande has been making personal efforts talking to those involved on phone to give peace a chance. But the reality is that the committee has been unable to meet as a team. Don’t for­get that we have state gover­nors in this committee and all the governors are busy right now finding a solution to COVID-19.”
https://www.independent.ng/apc-crisis-deepens-as-covid-19-hampers-akande-reconciliation-committee/

God please..... make them to have the same peace that we have experienced since when they took over....

Their palavas

This crisis will end APC's reign in Edo State

Analogue politicians. Cant they do the meeting via Zoom or Skype?