From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Unless intervention comes from President Muhammadu Buhari and other chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), there are strong indications that the party may implode after the emergency virtual National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for the State House, Abuja, tomorrow.
There have been serious skirmishes among party chieftains, especially as it concerns the proposed extension of the tenure of the Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee.
Daily Sun investigation revealed that the alleged hijack of the party by some governors from the North West zone and another governor from the North Central has heightened the tension.
Our source further said the new musketeer governors did not only hijack the party structures but have equally sidelined other governors and party chieftains, who collaborated with them to sack the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC).
The conspiracy, according to our source, was so thick that some of the side-lined governors, ministers and other chieftains have complained about not being carried along, especially on the agenda for the proposed NEC meeting, which resulted in turning the party secretariat into a battleground during last week’s emergency caretaker committee meeting.
While admitting that the alignment and realignment as regards which camp gets the 2023 presidential ticket remains the major bone of contention, he also claimed that lack of communication has been responsible for the ‘graveyard peace’ within the ruling party.
“It is surprising how only few governors could hijack the party and fend off other governors that fought with them to wrestle the party structures from Comrade Oshiomhole. They have side-lined two governors from North Central, another prominent one from South West and even ministers. The exclusion of certain pro-Oshiomhole governors from North West and South East is understandable.
“All I can say is that with the height of tension within the party now, it will only take the intervention of President Buhari and other party chieftains, during Tuesday’s emergency NEC meeting, to decide the direction the party is taking. It is too bad that after collectively fighting to wrestle the party from Oshiomhole’s camp, some schemed out other collaborators. If they think they can succeed, we are watching to see how events unfold,” our source warned.
Dismissing the impression that the ruling party is about to implode after being hijacked by certain forces, the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabana, maintained that there is no crack among the chieftains of the party.
“As far as the party is concerned, there is no cabal or crack. We are all intact as APC members. The insinuation must be a figment of the imagination of certain persons.
“There will be no implosion after the NEC meeting on Tuesday and I am assuring member of this party to disregard whatever insinuation from any quarter,” Nabena said.