Director General of the forum of governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has raised the alarm of alleged plot to divide the ranks of the governors in the face of leadership tussle rocking the party national secretariat.
The APC National Working Committee has since been polarised into factions, following the ouster of its national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole last week by a pronouncement of the Court of Appeal.
The duo of deputy national secretary, Victor Giadom and the South-south zonal chairman, Hillard Eta have since declared themselves as acting chairmen. The latter told newsmen that he is holding the office in an acting capacity for the deputy national chairman, South, Senator Isiaka Ajimobi.
The DG Progressive Governors Forum in a statement on Monday declared that certain chieftains of the party are pushing the narrative in the media that the governors have pitched themselves into pro- Ajimobi and Giadom groups.
Lukman dismissed the insinuation as he insisted that the governors are united in their resolve to restore internal democracy in the APC.
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He said: “Somehow, vested interests who may have been furtively peddling false allegations against some Progressive Governors for the perspectives they hold about the crisis facing the party, are doing everything possible to impose their fantasies.
” All other perspectives outside those fantasies are being criminalised and every attempt is being made to break the ranks of Progressive Governors. This is unfortunate. The reality is that all Progressive Governors are guided by all the resolutions adopted at the June 13, 2020 meeting. Those trying to create imaginary divisions are enemies of the party and clearly not interested in contributing in any way to bringing about an end to the crisis facing the party.
“As part of the scheme of dividing the ranks of Progressive Governors, fictitious support for and against Sen. Abiola Ajimobi are being raised.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Senator Ajimobi is a respected founding member of the Forum. Any day and anytime, Senator Ajimobi will enjoy the fraternal support of all Progressive Governors.
However, given the current leadership challenges, it is not about support for or against sections of the NWC as is being projected. It is more about ensuring that the NWC function, as a united organ of the party based on which it is able to make provisions of the APC constitution functional. It will be downgrading to attempt to project Sen. Ajimobi as a factional leader of the NWC.”
Lukman who admitted that the governors might differ in their perspectives on solutions to the leadership tussle, however, argued that they were unanimous in their resolutions at the recent teleconference meeting of Saturday, June 13, 2020, that institutionalisation of internal democracy was a panacea to the crisis rocking the ruling party.
He also called for the cooperation of all stakeholders while submitting that the provisions of the Party Constitution must be respected.
“APC will overcome all its current leadership challenges; Progressive Governors and all APC leaders will emerge strongly united. Every party member and leader should be committed to the resolution of the crisis as well as Nigerians who are committed to democracy based on the presence of resilient party structures that meet, take decisions and governed based on those decisions as provided by the party’s constitution, which is what defined the supremacy of the party.”
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