Atiku, Tinubu
There are strong indications that
two power blocs within the All Progressives Congress are now engaged in a
fierce battle for the soul of the party.
Saturday PUNCH’s investigations
on Friday revealed that the battle between the two power blocs to
control the party: one led by Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and the other led by
former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, played out during Tuesday’s
National Assembly leadership elections.
The ruling party’s preferred candidates
in both the Senate and the House of Representatives were defeated by
party members who contested the elections against the wishes of the
party.
The battle for supremacy between the two
power blocs led to the emergence of the opposition Peoples Democratic
Party’s candidate, Ike Ekweremadu, as the Deputy Senate President.
Saturday PUNCH
learnt that both Atiku and Tinubu were desperate to have maximum
control over the party structure so that party decisions could favour
them at all times.
It was learnt that the two blocs wanted
their candidates to emerge principal officers of the National Assembly
since that would automatically qualify their candidates to become
members of the party’s National Executive Committee, which is the
highest decision arm of the party.
Senator Bukola Saraki emerged the
President of the Senate at a time when leading figures of the party
including Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande and APC Senators as well as members
of the House of Representatives were waiting for President Muhammadu
Buhari at the International Conference Centre for a crucial meeting.
The party’s NWC earlier held a shadow
election in which Senators Ahmad Lawan and George Akume emerged as the
party’s candidates for Senate President and Deputy Senate President
respectively.
But, Atiku, Saturday PUNCH learnt
that Atiku was never in support of the mock election believed to be
spearheaded by the APC national leader as the former Vice President was
bent on breaking Tinubu’s influence on the party’s NWC.
As things stand, most of the current members of the APC’s National Working Committee are Tinubu’s loyalists.
With the outcome of the National
Assembly leadership elections, there are strong indications that the
Tinubu camp, which many agree, boasts of the likes of Lawan and Akume
are not prepared to let the matter rest.
Sources said the Tinubu camp, though still jolted by its initial ‘defeat’ would likely spring a surprise in the days ahead.
It was gathered that members of the
Senators Unity Forum, who supported the party’s candidates are queuing
behind Tinubu and are likely to continue to do so in the days to come.
It was learnt that in supporting the
aspirations of Saraki and Dogara, Atiku had argued that democracy could
better be served when the principle of internal democracy is respected.
It was further learnt that Saraki’s
publicised visit to Atiku’s residence a few hours after his emergence,
was part of the power play.
By virtue of their new positions as
Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Saraki and
Dogara, have become automatic members of the National Executive
Committee, the highest decision making body of the party.
Their positions also confer on them automatic membership of the party’s Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee.
A leading member of the party’s NWC, who confided in Saturday PUNCH, explained that the unfolding scenario is likely to open up new frontiers in the power struggle within the party.
According to him, decisions at NEC from now on will be keenly contested by the two power blocs.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the
outcome of the National Assembly elections would likely affect decisions
to be taken on ministerial nominees as some of the candidates in
Tinubu’s camp may be rejected during screening by the Saraki/Atiku
group.
He said, “It is obvious that with what
happened on Tuesday at the National Assembly, two (dominant) power
blocks have emerged in the party.
“We hope to heal the wounds created by the contests, but there is mutual suspicion between the two groups.”
When contacted, the Director-General of
the Atiku Media Office, Mazi Paul Ibe, said, “Atiku did not orchestrate
the emergence of the new leadership in the National Assembly and
insinuating that amounts to nothing but political mischief, as he had
refused to leave the party or work for the PDP even when the then
President Jonathan was desperate for Atiku’s support.
“The visits of politicians and APC
leaders including that of the Senate President are common political
rituals in Atiku’s Asokoro residence. For the purposes of emphasis, the
President has confidence in him and that explains why he had drafted him
as an envoy of sorts in the race leading up to the emergence of a
Nigerian President of African Development Bank.
“It is baseless and unfounded to suggest
that Atiku conspired with the PDP or Saraki to ‘sabotage’ the APC. He
would have congratulated Senator Ahmed Lawan (or any other leader) if he
had won. It is simplistic to attribute conspiratorial agenda to an
innocuous congratulatory visit.
“Atiku’s loyalty to his party is
indisputable. He remains a loyal party member. He, in fact, threw his
political assets behind the Buhari presidential campaign. Any suggestion
that he conspired with Saraki or anybody is the figment of someone’s
imagination.”
Attempts to get a reaction from Tinubu’s Spokesperson, Mr. Sunday Dare, were unsuccessful.
Calls to his mobile phone at 5:21pm and
at 7:14pm were neither picked nor returned. A response to a text message
was still being awaited as of the time of filing this report at 7:24pm.
But, a member of Saraki’s Like Minds
group of Senators, Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South), said Saraki’s emergence,
has no negative implication for party cohesion.
He said, “We are already reaching out to everyone. At the leadership level, we are reaching out to individuals.
“The Senate President is a very generous
Nigerian with a very large heart. He has already extended his hands of
fellowship to every senator and he has assured us all that he would
carry everybody along. It is not going to be a case of
winner-takes-all.”
Also, a member of the Senate Unity
Forum, Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central), said the party
leadership is currently working tirelessly to ensure that the party
remains a formidable and united entity.
The South East Zonal Spokesperson for the APC, Osita Okechukwu, said the party was seeking ways of moving forward.
According to him, it will be futile to
begin to apportion blame and look for scapegoats because doing so will
provide an avenue for those who do not wish the APC well to cash in.
He said party leaders deserve the
respect of all party members, adding that if the wise counsel of
President Muhammadu Buhari for non-interference in National Assembly
issues was adhered to, the party would not have found itself in this
situation. He, however, said it was time to move on.
Okechukwu said, “It is the desire of our
opponents for there to be a rift but there is no rift. As a party, the
only thing we need now, more than ever before, is unity.
“We need to unite especially in the
National Assembly to be able to deliver on our promises to the Nigerian
people. I dare say, we also need bi-partisan support if we are to get
things done because we need each other.”
Copyright PUNCH.
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