APC no longer a functional party – Governors

 

BY OUR EDITOR

The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has described its umbrella party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a political party that is no longer functional due to its inability to hold regular meetings of its constitutional organs as provided by law.

Salihu Lukman, the Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum, made this grim assertion in a memo he sent to the party’s National Reconciliation Committee, headed by pioneer party national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande.

He also blamed part of the crisis in the APC on its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, accusing him of being the accuser, prosecutor and judge in most of the disputes afflicting the party.

“The hard truth is that as it stands today, APC is not a functional political party. None of its organs at any level is meeting as provided in the party’s constitution.

‘’It is even debatable if our membership register exists. At best, it will be the same old 2015 membership register,” he said Sunday.

In a lengthy letter to the reconciliation committee, Lukman also traced the genesis of the crisis in the party to the process leading to the 2015 general elections.

He said: “Part of the components of the contributions of the APC to Nigeria’s democracy include that the problem of imposition of candidates in elections were minimised considerably within the APC, at least in the 2015 elections. Unfortunately, that is where our problems started. Contestants in party primary election failed to develop the needed sportsmanship to accept results. The old habits of aspiring candidates taking over leadership structures of the party and through that therefore predetermining results of the primary elections remained the case.

“Part of the problem now is that he is surrounded by sycophants mainly from Edo State. Any attempt to help him through objective advice is condemned as betrayal especially when such advice comes from people who were close to him. Many of those who claimed now to be his supporters and loyalists are people who only relate with him based on his position of power and capacity therefore to influence access to political positions. His success as a leader who is able to direct the party towards electoral victory is never their consideration except if they are the candidates.

“One cannot blame these sycophantic crowd around our National Chairman. But I will definitely express my disbelief at the way Comrade Oshiomhole has become all of a sudden, a leader who is intolerant to criticisms. His level of intolerance is so high that any disagreement or criticism expressed against any of his decisions or actions is classified as betrayal and therefore requiring disciplinary actions. The procedure for disciplinary actions has become so cheapened such that all the relevant provisions in the party’s constitution are violated. As a result, Comrade Oshiomhole is today the leading accuser, prosecutor and judge in almost all cases where disciplinary actions have been administered in the party. The only probable exception may be the case in his Ward in Edo State where he is also being alleged to have been disciplined”, he stated.

Lukman also listed ways out of the current issues threatening the party.

READ: APC State Chairmen ask Oshiomhole to resign, accuse him of dictatorship

‘’I think the starting point has to be an appeal to the Comrade Oshiomhole-led NWC, who facilitated the formation of the Chief Akande Committee to convene a meeting of the appropriate organ of the party – National Executive Council (NEC) or National Caucus where a decision setting aside all the disciplinary actions at all levels of the party, including the NWC can be taken.

“Somehow, such a meeting can also serve as perhaps an ice breaking platform where some good pronouncements can emerge, which can encourage all aggrieved leaders and party members to express their disagreement and dissatisfaction at the way our party is being managed since 2015. Steps must be taken at such meeting to ensure that criticising or disagreeing with our leaders does not constitute an offence.

“If the Chief Akande Committee is to succeed in this very crucial assignment, it must be positioned to set in motion the process of rebuilding the party. The hard truth is that as it stands today, APC is not a functional political party. None of its organs at any level is meeting as provided in the party’s constitution. It is even debatable if our membership register exists. At best, it will be the same old 2015 membership register.

“With such reality, any effort towards resolving our problems may have to commence with verifying the issue of who our party members are. Somehow, this is also an issue that will test our tolerance limits. For instance, to what extent can we accept members such as Sen. Kabir Marafa in Zamfara who instituted the court case that led to surrendering the victory of our party in the 2019 election to the PDP? Or to what extent can we regard members in Ogun and Imo who contested the 2019 elections under different parties?