Spokesman blames cash crunch on internal crisis
By Iheanacho Nwosu, Abuja
Tension and subdued anger are reigning at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as economic crunch takes a toll on the ruling party.
Apart from officials and staff of the party spending more time in darkness as a result of faulty generator, members of the National Working Committee (NWC) no longer execute projects due to lack of funds.
Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Timi Frank blamed the situation on internal crisis rocking the party.
“The party is divided right now. You can see the issue of the Senate President. Some people are not happy with the leadership of the party. That is why the party is suffering lack of fund,” he told Daily Sun.
At the secretariat, NWC members and staff now arm themselves with handkerchiefs and hand fans to battle the heat. The windows of the sprawling edifice are permanently kept open as regular power outage and faulty generators have kept air conditioners out of use.
Apart from the problem of power supply, the APC chieftain who pleaded for anonymity revealed that NWC members cannot perform their duties because they have no money to execute any project no matter the amount.
“The party cannot pick any bill at the moment. It is as bad as that. We come to the office everyday but we do not do anything because when you come up with any idea you are told that there is no money.
“Sometimes, when I see the national chairman, I sympathise with him because they are making things difficult for him. They are not treating him well. The party is in debts, pressure is on him on all fronts but he is helpless.
Different excuses are given for starving the party of fund. What I know is that the presidency has not been funding the party. Governors, ministers are also behaving as if the funding of the party is not their headache. That is where we are right now,” the source said.
APC deputy spokesman stressed that the division among key leaders of the party was responsible for the lack of fund. There is issue in Kogi,Bayelsa, Kano, Yobe and so many state chapters.º
“When states are having crisis it is the duty of the centre to resolve the disagreement. If the centre cannot resolve the issue where do you expect the state leadership to go to . It is the situation we face at the moment.
“There are issues here and there in the party. We have division in the senate . Until the internal crisis is resolved the party will not move forward”.
On whether the situation will persist until the issue of the Senate President is sorted out, Frank replied, “Yes, I can comfortably tell you it will continue. Recently, the national chairman said the party was ready to sacrifice Saraki. But that is his own personal opinion because he didn’t consult officials of the party before making the statement . There is no meeting with any of the organs of the party where the decision on what the chairman spoke about was made,” he said.