APC crisis: PGF considers mini convention, other issues

The Mini Convention would also be used to fill the vacant positions that have existed in the National Working Committee (NWC).

These were part of the resolutions reached at the meeting of the Forum, which was held in Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge over the weekend.

The meeting was the first this year and was attended by about 80 per cent of the PGF members.

Among the governors who were in attendance are the Kebbi State Governor and chairman of the PGF, Senator Atiku Bagudu; Plateau State governor and chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Mr. Simon Lalong and the governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

Others are governors of Yobe, Mai Mala Buni; Kogi, Alhaji Yahaya Bello; Jigawa, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru; Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule; Niger, Sani Bello, Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu; Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola and Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Also in attendance were the Deputy Governors of Borno, Lagos and Gombe states.

The governors declined to speak to the media after the meeting that lasted for over three hours, as the Director General of the PGF, Salihu Lukuman, said they would schedule a press briefing to speak with the media on the essence and outcome of the meeting.

However, a source close to the PGF said the meeting was to see how the crisis in the party would be resolved.

The source also explained that among the issues considered were the INEC timetable for the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, the political crisis in Edo State that has divided the party along the governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Also of importance at the meeting according to the source was the replacement of the National Working Committee members that has divided the states.

The issue of the state to replace the outgone Deputy National Chairman is causing a problem between the Ekiti State APC and Oyo State.

Last week, it was reported that the South West Zone has endorsed the former governor of Oyo State, Senator Ajimobi to replace the former Deputy National Chairman, now the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Mr. Niyi Adebayo. Not quite long, another report said that the Ekiti APC has nominated Senator Gbenga Aluko for the position.

Also in the North East, the replacement of the National Secretary has been a source of division in the zone.

While the National leadership of APC has endorsed Architect Waziri Bulama from Borno State to act as National Secretary, the Yobe State APC is insisting that they have to produce the replacement.

The APC Deputy National Chairman and National Secretary were initially zoned to Ekiti and Yobe States respectively.

The Forum source said the governors looked at the rezoning of the positions to other states and the crisis it was causing in the party.

Furthermore, the source disclosed that the governors were looking at if a mini- Convention of the party would solve some of the leadership problems in the party.

Recently the governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, at a steering committee meeting of the PGF on Good Governance had said that the crisis on APC would soon be over.

Since after the general elections, APC has been plunged into crisis of leadership with some party members calling for the resignation of the National Chairman.

Speaking, the source said that the governors were willing to save the party from its present crisis.

“You know the governors are integral part of the party and they would do everything to save the party.

“The meeting was essentially to set agenda for the party for the year and possibly resolve all the lingering crisis.

“The governors are willing and desirous to raise the number of states controlled by APC, as this would assist the party for the Presidential election in 2023.

“As you also know, the PGF had set up some steering committees for good governance in APC controlled states and some of the reports of the steering committees were giving to the whole house.”