APC leadership crisis deepens, as faction names parallel caretaker committee members

Faction of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which had earlier on Monday sacked the party’s Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) Chairman, the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has moved to list its committee members.

The faction which identified itself as the Progressive Youth Movement, and had also announced Mustapha Audu as the new National Caretaker Committee Chairman with immediate effect, on Tuesday, now unveiled its committee members who include, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.

It would be recalled that Audu, while announcing the birth of the Progressive Youth Movement of the APC’s Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (PYM – CECPC) on Monday, said a National Reconciliation Committee will be formed to reconcile aggrieved members before the February 26, 2021 convention.

He further announced a zoning formula for Positions in the new National Working Committee (NWC).

However, inaugurating the caretaker Committee members, Tuesday, Audu announced the appointment of President Muhammadu Buhari as the head of the advisory committee.

“Today, we are here to inaugurate the PYM – CECPC, these young men and women of noble repute have been carefully selected and mandated by all the well-meaning young stakeholders of our great party the APC to plan and execute our convention before the end of February 2022.

“We are aware of the plethora of issues within the party, our party has had a history of shying away from true reconciliation and in many cases inflicting chastisement on members that should have been rewarded for their effort towards building the APC.

“We will also be setting up a reconciliatory committee to help reconcile aggrieved members within the party.

“It is clear that in the last couple of years the party has been on a regressive course and it is necessary for all well-meaning party members to roll up our sleeves and do the needful to ensure that we correct the mistakes that have been made to ensure victory in 2023 for all stakeholders.

“I would advise all party members to look inwards and understand the need to do things differently so that we can ensure we win back the trust of the Nigerian people as we move closer to the election year.

“Let’s join hands and strengthen our internal democracy in our dear party the APC and show Nigerians that we have what it takes and we deserve their votes in 2023.”

The self-styled APC leader said all members of the committee were carefully selected, disclosing further that his leadership has the mandate to plan and execute a national convention before the end of February 2022.

Reacting to the formation of another leadership structure of the APC, Mr John Akpan Udoedehe, APC National Secretary dismissed as ‘felonious’ the activities of the group.

“However laughable, the criminal attempt of the purported group to usurp the leadership of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC now bothers on treasonable felony.

“Relevant security bodies must now check and address their unscrupulous activities. The attention the purported group seeks will not be given to them by the party.

“We can only advise that the general public completely disregards them. They are not registered members of the APC and are being used by opposition elements and fifth columnists to cause confusion.

“As widely reported, the successful meeting between the APC leadership, Progressive Governors’ Forum and the President produced February 2022 as the timeframe for the National Convention”, Udoedehe noted.

According to Udoedehe, the group is ‘unknown to the party, its structure or as a registered support group and therefore non-existent.’