The leadership crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) may take a turn for the worse as President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the reinstatement of Governor Mai Mala Buni as the national caretaker chairman of the party.
The directive is contained in a letter by the president to the Governor of Kebbi State and chairman of the APC Progressives Forum, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
The president also copied the chairman, CECC; Ag Chairman, CECC; Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State; Secretary to Government of the Federation (SSG); Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS); and the Inspector General of Police.
The directive by the president may set him on a collision course with the governors elected on the platform of the party in respect of the festering leadership crisis in the party.
Some 13 governors of the party had rejected Buni’s leadership of the party, just as the governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, declared that only yahoo-yahoo governors would want him as the acting chairman of the party.
The governors replaced Buni with Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello and they also threatened to leave the ruling party, should any attempt be made to reverse their decision.
However, President Buhari, in his letter dated 16 March, 2022, dared the governors by directing that Buni should be allowed to conduct the party’s National Convention, unfailingly, on 26 March, 2022, in his capacity as the chairman of the APC Caretaker Extra Ordinary Convention Committee (CECC).
Buhari said the party faces possibilities of sanctions from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) because of the controversies surrounding the status and feasibility of the proposed APC National Convention.
He said the party has failed to effect change in the leadership of the CECC in a way that is inclusive, legal and respectful of the time-limit set and required for giving the INEC sufficient notice of the time and venue for holding its convention.
The president wrote in the letter: “As you are, no doubt aware, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently in a litany of controversies and some level of uncertainties that may ultimately question its status and affect the status and feasibility of its proposed National Convention.
“In addition, it has come to my attention that, because of recent events, the APC is faced with a multiplicity of court cases pending against it in various courts across the country.
“As a result of this, the party faces the possibility and prospect of the invalidation of all its activities and actions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Furthermore, the party has demonstrated its inability to proceed with the issue of effecting change in the leadership of its Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee (CECC), in a way that is inclusive, legal and respectful of the time limit set and required for giving the INEC sufficient notice of the time and venue for holding its convention.
“No doubt, these controversies and uncertainties, as enumerated above, pose a real threat to the party; and may lead to a possible non recognition of its activities, elections and the probable invalidation of all its other actions by INEC. This may ultimately even lead its implosion and non-existence.
“There is, therefore, an urgent need for the party to, as much as possible, avoid all controversies, litigations and all other necessary distractions and quickly get its acts together.”
In view of the above, President Buhari directed that the status quo ante should be returned to, in respect of the leadership of the APC CECC.
He directed that all members of the Governors Forum and their followers should desist from any behaviour or utterance that will likely lead to disunity in the ranks of the party, and ultimately jeopardise the transition to the convention.
President Buhari further directed that “the Mai Mala Buni-led CECC should, accordingly, be allowed to proceed with all necessary preparations to hold the convention as planned, unfailingly, on 26 March, 2022.”
