There is no crisis in APC —Abdullahi

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi is the national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).  In this interview with Senior Deputy Editor, TAIWO AMODU, he dismisses claim of crisis within the party.

THE party has fixed its national convention for April. The question agitating the minds of the party faithful is, why is the leadership insisting on non- elective convention?

Well, it is a midterm convention, it doesn’t have to be elective but it will be preceded by filling some of the existing vacancies in the party as a result of political appointment, some as a result of death and some as a result of resignation for whatever reason. So, those positions must be filled. But the purpose of this convention is in compliance with relevant sections of the Constitution that says the convention has to be held every two years. So that’s the purpose of this non- elective convention. There are a lot of issues that must be ratified that will come up at the National Executive Committee, (NEC) of the party.

You just talked about compliance with the party constitution. There are those who are of the opinion that the convention is long overdue; that it is even coming late, and that the party constitution is being observed in the breach. What is your take?

No, it isn’t being observed in the breach.  There are preconditions. The important thing is for us to have it. So, if we say every two years, it doesn’t mean that there is a particular day that it has to happen. The important thing is for us to have it, at least twice in four years and there are issues that have to be clarified, so many people that must be carried along and it is the convention that brings all party members across the country together. It is a herculean task.

So, the government itself has settled down and everybody has settled down into its role and it is now the time to begin to consolidate and strengthen the party ahead of the next election circle. So, we aren’t violating any party constitution.

But there is this argument that there ought to have been a reconciliation process, to precede the scheduled midterm convention.

I can assure that if the top hierarchy of the party leadership has a need for any reconciliation, it will do it. But like I said, talking about reconciliation, it is based on the assumption that there are people that need to be reconciled—based on the assumption also that there are issues. If there are issues, I can assure you those issues will be tackled, everything that needs to be done to have a successful convention will be done.

In specific terms; there is a cold war between the national chairman and a national leader of the party, Tinubu.

I am not aware of that, you are just informing me. The fact that people disagree on specific situations do not mean that then a war has been declared. You may ask me a question now as a journalist and I will tell you, why did you ask me that question?  It doesn’t mean that you have become my enemy. I only disagree with you on a particular question; it doesn’t mean that this interview cannot continue. Do you get the point I am making?  So, the fact that they disagreed openly, over a particular situation in Ondo doesn’t mean that they have now become enemies or that they are no longer in talking term. So issues that happened in specific case shouldn’t be applied generally to all situations.

We also know that there is no cordial relationship between the national vice-chairman, north-west of the party, Inuwa Abdulkadir and the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. How come the party continues to pretend that all is well?

I cannot speak in specific case of zones, I cannot tell you what is happening in north-west zone; all I know is that it is natural that people who occupy the same political space will have disagreement at one time or the other and in the end there are mechanisms for resolving whatever issues arise from time to time. After all, a political party by definition is a mechanism for reconciling or managing political interest. That’s why you have political parties.

So, I don’t think that we should carry on as if members of APC are enemies of one another, because they have disagreement at one point or the other or for one reason or the other. So for me, I believe that if there are issues that are central to having a successful convention, those issues will certainly be addressed.

You agree with me that the governors are also critical stakeholders in the party?

Yes, of course they are.

Can you say, with all sincerity that members of the national working committee are in the good books of the APC governors?

Unless you tell me reason why they shouldn’t be. Do you have any reason?

There is the insinuation that the scheduled mid-term convention was a pre-emptive move by the Odigie-Oyegun leadership to ward off the orchestrated attempt by governors to demand for a convention with the motive to sack the NWC. How do you react to this?

I am not aware that any governor is seeking the dissolution of the NWC. I am telling you that the convention that is being planned isn’t a preemptive measure by any means.  How can a simple compliance with party requirement be a preemptive move? It is a contradiction.

You will agree with me that the party convention that’s coming up is in compliance with the party constitution. So, how can it at the same time be a preemptive move? It cannot be

But there are forces that are saying this convention should be elective, as against the non-elective proclamation by the party’s leadership. Aren’t you aware of such agitation?

Well, when they come to the NEC they should say it. That’s why a NEC of the party will precede the convention. So, if anybody has any opinion as a NEC member, he should bring it to the NEC. Whoever feels that the convention should be elective should come to the NEC meting and canvass it. Nobody is insisting on any position and that’s why it is a democracy.  I don’t understand why people keep going around as if there is a conspiracy going on somewhere.  We are going to have a NEC meeting where the date, and modalities for the convention, everything will be determined by the NEC of the party, not the NWC. So, anybody that has anything to say should come to NEC where the agenda of the convention will be determined.

There is a statutory organ of the party that is practically non-existent; that’s the Board of Trustees. How soon will the party put in place a substantive BoT?

I am not in position to answer that question.  I will need to crosscheck.

Finally, there seems to be a disconnect between the APC and the Nigerian electorate in terms of delivery of party promises?

The party went into the election with a manifesto. The government that we formed is a vehicle for implementing that manifesto. Therefore, the government is our manifesto in action.  So, you cannot be talking about a disconnection between the party and the people.

Are you convinced that those holding elective offices using your party’s platform are living up to expectations of Nigerians?

I think they are committed to doing it and they are working hard to do it. If you have anything that you think they haven’t done well enough, you can talk to those who speak for government. I speak for the party.