AFTER the failed peace mission to Kano State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is reportedly reviewing its action plan for peace in its troubled state chapters. About 23 state chapters of the party, most of where it functions as opposition, are embroiled in leadership crisis.
Nearly all, conducted parallel congress, leading to emergence of multiple chairmen for each of the feuding chapters.
The party, according to insiders, had earlier considered, strongly, the idea of proposing power sharing among tendencies struggling for control in each of the chapters, on the basis of 60/40, 40/60.
Meant to balance delegate and control equation, mainstream faction of a fragmented chapter was primed to have 60 per cent of the state executive and 40% of statutory delegates to the national convention, for balance.
Factions considered as the junior partner in such state chapter, are to take 40% of the state leadership and 60% of the statutory delegates.
While some factional leaders were let in, on the proposed peace option, the party leadership was said to have largely kept the plan to itself, reportedly waiting for the Adamu Abdullahi peace committee, to first talk the warring factions into accepting peace, before senior and junior partners in the arrangement, would be determined. The party leadership had also, warned warring factions and disgruntled chieftains, off litigation, threatening expulsion as consequence of disobedience to a constituted authority.
The directive to stay with party’s internal mechanism for peace on congress disputations, had been largely ignored by aggrieved factions which have intensified court cases, filed to correct perceived infractions. Two of such cases, are reportedly giving the party top hierarchy real concern, according to a party operative with close ties to the national secretariat.
Hours after the troubleshooting expedition of the Abdullahi committee to Kano State, an Abuja high court upheld the parallel ward, local government and state congress, conducted by faction loyal to former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau.
The presiding judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, also sacked the executive committees at all levels, loyal to the incumbent governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Sunday Tribune learnt the peace team led by the former Nasarawa State governor had met, all-night with warring factions in the state chapters for close to 12 hours, departing on Monday. The day after the supposed conclusion of their assignment, the judicial pronouncement came.
An insider told Sunday Tribune that Abdullahi as an experienced politician, himself, knew there was nothing to reconcile between the incumbent governor and one of his predecessors-in-office, because their differences were obviously irreconcilable.
The chieftain further noted that the development in Kano, had shown how the peace agenda, would largely go. The source, who himself is in court, over the much-disputed congress in his state chapter, was almost certain the party is headed for a massive implosion.
“We won’t leave the party, let it crumble on the head of all of us” the source quipped.
The failed mission to Kano, suggests the party leadership, would have to wait for the appeals process, to be concluded, before any of the factions can be branded mainstream and fringe.
Sunday Tribune learnt a review of the peace offerings, may now see crisis in each state chapter being treated on its merit and severity. It was learnt that while some chapters may end up with wide disparity of 30/70%, others may witness slight modification of 55/45% and even the application of the original 60/40% formula, in some other chapters still.
A factional leader told Sunday Tribune that his group would still honourAbdullahi committee with an appearance whenever it berths in the state, but noted that all eyes are now on the Zamfara court case, challenging the dissolution of the state executive, to accommodate defecting Governor Bello Matawalle. The case is reportedly scheduled for next week and many party chieftains have reportedly ceased agitation for relevance, hoping the court, would declare Buni’s dissolution of the state executive committee illegal.
“Once that happens, they (litigants) would be returning to court for the interpretation of the Supreme Court pronouncement in Akeredolu Vs. Jegede, to determine if Buni is constitutionally-suitable, to hold the office, in the first place. That is what everyone is looking at now. The Zamfara case has a lot of implications for us (APC)” a party leader monitoring various judicial challenges to Buni leadership, disclosed to Sunday Tribune.
In a factionalised Lagos State chapter of the party, a trap is already awaiting the peace committee, over the membership of IdiatRantiAdebule, a former deputy governor of the state.
Being a member of the state’s Governor Advisory Council (GAC), an influential body in party’s activities, but unknown to its constitution, she is seen as an interested party in the crisis engulfing the state chapter.
There is a plan in place, by some chieftains to protest her membership of the committee, if she shows up in Lagos. Sunday Tribune also learnt of an altercation between another member of the peace committee and a factional leader in a South West state.
The member, from a Southern state, is a former deputy governor of his state. Sunday Tribune gathered the stormy conversation between the duo, was over the submission of memorandum, prepared by the factional chairman, to pitch his group’s case to the committee.
The former deputy governor allegedly told the factional chairman brusquely, that submission of memoranda, had closed on November 12, which the party chieftain found offensive, coming from a leading member of a committee seeking peace for the party.
The factional chairman, allegedly attacked the former deputy governor with strong words, for being offensive and condescending in approach.
After a back-and-forth, the former deputy governor, explained that a publication was made on the timeline, which the factional chairman said most aggrieved members didn’t see.
Reason eventually prevailed and when tension calmed, the former deputy governor, agreed to collect the memorandum on behalf of the committee, through a third party. The Abdullahi committee was inaugurated on October 11.
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