Atiku, Tinubu, others battle for the soul of APC  …why ministerial list is delayed

The delay in the appointment of ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari might not be unconnected with the unending crisis that has engulfed the All Progressives Congress since the inauguration of the new government. OLUSESAN LAOYE, EZUGWU OBINNA, OKUNADE ADEKUNLE and YUSUF MOHAMMED report

Three weeks into the administration of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the battle over who will control the party’s structure ahead of the 2019 presidential election has begun. There are clear indications that some powerful blocs in the party are already perfecting plans to take over full control of the party structure. It is this battle that is also responsible for the delay in forming President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet. Last week, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s banners got removed from the party’s secretariat in Abuja, an indication that the war is targeted at him.

Hallmark gathered that the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as the President of the 8th Senate as well as Yakubu Dogara as Speaker of the House of Representatives is not unconnected with the ongoing power play in the party. It has been established that the emergence of both individuals is part of the larger plot by some forces in the ruling party to hijack the party’s structure.

Sources revealed that the group allegedly led by former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar want to impose their authority on the party with a view to curtailing the influence of former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who had until now been calling the shots in the party. Majority of those in the Atiku camp, a source revealed, are those in the former New-PDP group that eventually collapsed into the APC.

The group were said to have decided in favour of an early execution of their plans as to position themselves strategically to play lead roles in the new government; both in the legislative and the executive arms. It was disclosed that their motivating factor is the thinking of President Buhari to do only a term due to, perhaps, his age. The whole idea is very likely; to ensure that one of their own emerges as the party’s choice candidate in 2019.

They are said to have hit a master stroke with the successful installation of both Saraki and Dogara against the wishes of the party’s leadership, thus handing over to them the control of the legislature even as they are said to be maintaining close contact with the President. The whole arrangement by the Atiku and Kawu Baraje led bloc, Hallmark gathered, was plotted even before joining the APC from the PDP, which had prompted Saraki and Atiku’s interest in the presidential race under the APC platform.

Saraki pulled out before the primaries while Atiku lost out to Buhari. Since they lost out due to what they perceived as the overbearing influence of Tinubu, it was gathered that it became expedient for them to curtail his influence to avoid such scenario repeating. This they have largely achieved with the National Assembly leadership elections.

It is not surprising therefore that while the Tinubu controlled APC leadership is still furious over the emergence of Saraki and Dogara, Atiku quickly sent congratulatory messages, and even played host to Saraki who visited him. Their emergence meanwhile is still causing rift in the party which is, according to close sources, why Buhari is yet to name his cabinet as it has allegedly set the president and Tinubu on a collision course. The hard core Tinubu apologists are said to be unhappy with the President over his failure to intervene and stop Saraki.

Already, there has been intensive lobbying for ministerial appointments which is causing ripples within the leadership of the APC. As at weekend, some names have started coming up. Those said to be tipped are, former Governor of Lagos state, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, former Governor of Ekiti state, Dr Kayode Feyemi, former education minister, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, Professor Pat Utomi, Gen. Abudlrahaman Dambazau (retd).

Although sources said that Buhari as it is now may not be in hurry to name his cabinet, however there are indications that he is still making wide consultations and has the intention of running a unity government which would include none APC members. The influence of some national leaders too who are not in APC was said to be another factor delaying the list of his cabinet, it was said that he would want the inputs of other national leaders across all the geopolitical zones and there are speculations that he had consulted former President Goodluck Jonathan on this issue.

Hallmark was reliably informed that another factor which slowed down Buhari from making pronouncement about his ministers and other appointments was the concern he showed to the final report of the APC transition committee, headed by Dr. Ahmed Joda. The committee it was learnt had recommended that the Presidency should study its report critically because there were many issues to be cleared by the previous government which would guide Buhari in the choice of the people who would work with him. They maintained that there is the need to put those who will put things right in the areas where they are appointed.

What is also giving the party great concern is the fact that the Atiku group is battle ready against the dominance of Tinubu, which is responsible in the recent call for the removal of the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun. The arrow head of those calling for Oyegun’s removal is said to be a loyalist of Atiku, who also belongs to the former New PDP group.

The argument is that if the plan to edge out Oyegun who is believed to be Tinubu’s loyalist succeeds, they will fight to install their own trusted person, and also push for the reorganization of the entire national executives of the party.

The groups plotting the takeover of the APC are said to be planning to co-opt some of the leaders in the South-West who are not well disposed to Tinubu’s dominance. Some of those in the list are former governors and ex-commissioners who were brought into political limelight by Tinubu.

Although Tinubu was reported to have made moves to have a closed door meeting with Saraki abroad in order to re-establish a strong influence in the party and government, those who are against Tinubu have structured how they will actualize their plans. They have spread their political tentacle in virtually all the states under the control of APC and even in the National Assembly.

It was gathered that some members of the National Assembly have vowed to support the plans and as well finance the plot, as they claim that the control of the party by Tinubu made those that were part and parcel of the merger to be sidelined in the sharing of offices in the party.

However, according to a close aide of Tinubu, this has been noticed by Tinubu which has made him to keep to himself ever since the National Assembly leadership election went the way of Saraki.

As it is, there is a strong symbolic relationship between the Atiku group in the APC and the G-5 group in the party to wage a war against the Tinubu group, which has been in control of the party since inception.

The Atiku group which is believed to be led by Atiku himself in a disguised manner had pressed extensively for the resignation of the party National Chairman; Chief Oyegun who they believe is dancing to the tune of Tinubu and some South West APC leaders. Although the demand for Oyegun’s resignation was orchestrated by the deputy national publicity secretary, Timi Frank, who is believed by some Tinubu’s loyalists to be speaking the mind of Atiku and the G-5 group who want to take over the APC.

One of the APC chieftains in Osun State, who belongs to Atiku’s camp, told Hallmark that Atiku has now waited for the right time to fight Tinubu whom he alleged ditched him twice. He pointed out that after the 2007 presidential election which Atiku contested under the platform of the ACN, he was not well positioned in the party due to Tinubu’s overbearing influence and he had to quit the party for PDP.

He also said that the second time was during APC’s presidential primary which Atiku believed that it was Tinibu that made him lose to Buhari.

The Atiku loyalist also alleged that there are many people in the South West who are not well disposed to Tinubu. For instance, Senator Alaso Adua from Ondo State is said to have voted for Saraki during the race for Senate President.

Tinubu’s problem with Adua, Hallmark learnt started during the governorship election in Ondo when he left the PDP for the APC. It was alleged that both had disagreement over the way Rotimi Akeredolu, the APC governorship candidate’s campaign was handled. Both were said to have had serious altercations.

However, it is obvious that the APC is in disarray as even its National Chairman, Oyegun is struggling to keep his job. He had met with the 36 states chairmen of the party in what is thought to be a move to save his position. He allegedly wants the state chairmen who are members of the party’s National Working Committee to support him in case of a move to pass vote of no confidence on him.

Although the outcome of his meeting has not been ascertained as at the time of filing this report, Hallmark reliably gathered that they agreed to back him and toe the party’s line in accepting the outcome of the National Assembly election as a way of resolving the ongoing crisis.

The chairman of the party in Oyo State, Chief Akin Oke told Hallmark that there was no cause for alarm as according to him, the party is working hard to patch all the cracked walls. He noted that the party would not allow anything to distract its attention from delivering its campaign promises.

The South East is understandably still insisting on occupying the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), as they have asked Buhari not to deny them the post because Ekweremadu emerged deputy senate president.

A leader of the party in Imo State, Chief Uchenna Ogbonna noted that ceding the SGF to the zone will further strengthen the party. He blamed the leadership of the party for the poor performance of the APC in the last election in the zone because they failed to let the people of the area to know what they stand to get for supporting the party.

Also a member of the House of Representatives in Plateau state has warned that President Buhari should not go against the constitution in the choice of his ministers. Mr. Edward Pwajok representing the Jos East Federal constituency said that the constitution of the country was very clear about the appointment of the ministers which should come from each of the states in the country.

He said that with this Buhari should bear in mind that he would appoint 36 ministers and not less because anything to the contrary violates the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He further pointed out that if Buhari wants to reduce the numbers of his ministers he would have to seek for the amendment of the constitution.

In his reaction to the crisis in the party, the deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party Mr. Timi Frank who appeared not to go along with the national publicity secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the incident in the National Assembly which produced Saraki as the Senate President and Dagora as the Speaker only saved the party from being sidelined by the PDP.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dagora who is not comfortable with the allegation that his group is working and planning towards 2019, said this is not true. He added that what happened at the National Assembly had nothing to do with that. To him people should not talk about 2019 now because it would take care of itself.

While speaking with Hallmark on the crisis in the party, a close associate of Tinubu and former special adviser on Education to Fashola, Hon. Fatai Olukoga, said the Atiku group in the party cannot outshine Tinubu. He said the ploy by Atiku in the party are clear to Tinubu, adding that Tinubu would bounce back to settle all scores in the party. He described Atiku and Saraki moves in the party as “child’s play”, saying it is too early for them to have started such politicking in the party at this time.

He stressed that all the attacks against Tinubu by Atiku and his group is because Tinubu never supported Atiku clinch the party’s presidential ticket.

“We don’t want to play to the gallery by picking Atiku as our presidential candidate because all powerful forces in the country were not in support of him standing as our standard bearer. So, we all know that it is because of this that he is after Tinubu”, said Olukoga.

“There is no way Atiku would have his way in the party as he came in when we have already done the necessary political arrangement among the political parties that merged. He came along with the PDP governors, so he is not a real APC man”, said Olukoga.

Speaking further, he asserted that Tinubu has his way of managing crisis in the party, pointing out that Tinubu’s role in putting structures together for APC and President Buhari to emerge cannot be pushed aside.

Also, the National Coordinator of APC Professionals, Hon. Peter Ajayi, in a telephone chat with Hallmark, stated that Tinubu will brace up his political arsenal to grab his status in the party. He stressed that the plot to hijack the structure of the party from him would fail.

He added further that Atiku has always been seen working against the interest of South West, insisting that it will be a disservice to Tinubu if President Buhari allows Atiku and Saraki to have control over the party structure.