APC crises: As Oshiomhole, aggrieved chieftains continue battle of wits

LESS than three months to the conduct of the general elections, the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is still contending with dissension within its ranks. Aggrieved chieftains and governors, who lost out in the controversial primaries that produced the party standard bearers are still smarting for a showdown with the abrasive party chairman, Adams Oshiomhole emboldened by another party leader, Bola Tinubu.

While the national leader of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari continues to sound conciliatory, the belligerence of Oshiomhole riles against the admonition of President Buhari that the combatants should sheathe their swords and approach the forthcoming elections as a united political family.

Apparently emboldened by the failure of the plot by the aggrieved camp to push him out of the party’s national secretariat, the embattled APC national chairman, penultimate week, issued a statement, asking its aggrieved members who had instituted court cases to challenge the outcome of the primaries and other development tangential to it to withdraw such cases from court.

Nigerian Tribune checks revealed that among such cases were the ones filed by Uche Nwosu, son in-law to governor Rochas Okorocha, (who had since defected to another party to pursue his ambition), seeking for a declaration of court to pronounce the primary that produced Senator Hope Uzodinnma as the party’s governorship candidate in Imo state a nullity. Part of his prayers was a declaration by the Court that he was the duly elected governorship candidate of the Imo state chapter of the APC.

In Rivers State, the fate of Tonye Cole, whom the party claimed to be its governorship candidate amongst other candidates of the party hang in the balance.

In the oil rich state, two factions, loyal to Senator Magnus Abe and his estranged benefactor, Rotimi Amaechi are laying claim to the party structures in the state and it had since became subject of litigations.

In the statement issued after the party national working committee meeting and signed by its national publicity secretary, Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu, the APC argued that court cases “is considered as anti-party as it goes against our Party’s constitution.”

The statement further warned that “The party intends to activate constitutional provisions to penalise such members as their action is capable of undermining the party and hurt the Party’s interest.

Further checks on the APC 2014 constitution, (as amended) revealed sanctions against those who institute court cases against the party without recourse to its internal dispute resolution mechanism.

Article 21(D) (v) of the APC Constitution reads: “Any member who files an action in court of law against the party or any of its officers on any matters relating to the discharge of the duties of the party without first exhausting the avenues for redress provided for in this Constitution shall automatically stand expelled from the party on filing such action and no appeal against expulsion as stipulated in this Clause shall be entertained until withdrawal of the action from Court by the Member.”

Emboldened by the constitution, the APC national chairman while trying to explore the window for conflict resolution, enshrined in same document, followed up his threat of sanction against court order with the inauguration of post primaries reconciliation committees in the 6 geo-political zones in the country.

Six governors had since been saddled with the responsibilities to lead a team of 7-man peace committee, to reach out to aggrieved chieftains in each of the six geo-political zones.

While inaugurating the committees, the APC chairman said the objective of the trouble shooting teams was “to help the party provide in-house solution, maintain peace and cohesion within the APC family.”

Oshiomhole advised those who were bitter over the outcome of the primaries to let go their bitterness, as he noted that in every contest one individual must emerge the winner.

Buhari, governors and real politick

Before the peace committee anointed by Comrade Oshiomhole could hit the ground running on its assignment, certain aggrieved governors who have the ears of President Buhari had stormed the Presidential Villa to squeal against the plot by the beleaguered chairman to abort the court processes which they noted, could ultimately expose the chicanery that passed as democratic, transparent party primaries conducted by Comrade Oshiomhole led NWC.

In a statement issued last week and signed by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, Media & Publicity, his principal, jolted the party faithful as he overruled the APC chairman on the directive handed out by the latter that all aggrieved chieftains should step out of the court rooms.

President Buhari in his wisdom noted that ‘’that if anyone is displeased with the way and manner anything has been done, and feels deprived of his/her rights, then such a person is at liberty to approach the courts for redress.

War of attrition continues

Party leaders are confused on what could have informed the intervention of President Buhari whose position they noted ran contrary to the constitution of the party as canvassed by Comrade Oshiomhole. A legal luminary who did not want his name in print told Nigerian Tribune that the party chairman was right in his pronouncement against court cases.

He said: “Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of the party was right to have threatened to invoke sections of the party constitution which frowns at litigation to settle party matters.

“Yes, you have a right to seek redress, if you feel that your right is being infringed upon. But they should not forget that once you belong to an association, you submit yourself to the rules and regulations guiding such association. Those who are instituting cases against the APC pretend to forget that they have since surrendered such rights to the APC Constitution.’’

In his own view, Senator Ayo Arise, a chieftain of the party said President Buhari was right to have spoken in favour of the aggrieved who have approached the courts for redress.

He said President Buhari , as the leader of the ruling party was not mindful of the provision of the party constitution which frowns at litigation but spoke in favour of the Nigerian Constitution which he swore to defend.

Asked if it was proper for President Buhari to have overruled the party national leadership the way he did, Senator Arise said President Buhari acted in the overall interest of the party.

The party faithful watch with bated breath on how the war of attrition bedeviling the party would be addressed.