President Muhammadu Buhari was believed to have on Sunday morning read the riot act to party chieftains bent on stoking crisis in the All Progressives Congress, APC over the use of direct primary in the selection of the party’s candidates for elections.
The president’s rebuke of those orchestrating the destabilization plot came as the APC on Sunday morning warned those being used to stoke the crisis to step off warning that stern disciplinary action would be taken against them.
The group reportedly being egged on by a few governors with a two term southern governor in charge had scheduled to hold a meeting for Sunday afternoon at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.
The principal aim of the meeting is to call for the dissolution of the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole led National Working Committee, NWC.
The southern governor who is championing to have his son in law as his successor according to Vanguard sources is mobilizing to truncate the party’s decision on the use of direct primary as it could jeopardize his succession agenda and also truncate the governor’s own plan of proceeding to the Senate.
Members of the National Executive Committee, NEC who do not belong to the NWC it was gathered were those being mobilized to canvass for the dissolution of the Oshiomhole led NWC.
“The president has stepped in and warned them to clear off,” a senior party source said on Sunday morning in response to the brewing crisis in the ruling party.
The president who is travelling in China was believed to have given the directive by phone to some of those pinpointed as being involved. Though a number of governors and a powerful minister were believed to have been sympathetic to the indirect primary, it was learnt that a number of them were already backing off from the rebellion.
A number of governors are said to be unhappy over Oshiomhole’s insistence on the use of direct primary as they allege that it would jeopardize their efforts to plant their associates. Governors who normally have the control of the party structures are able to through the delegates that are loyal to them able to foist their choices as candidates in elections.
The national publicity secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena in a strongly worded statement on Sunday morning warning of dire consequences said: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to an illegal meeting scheduled to hold on Sunday at Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja by some members of our Party organs, with a view to fault the decisions made by the NWC followed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) as regards the mode of the Party’s primary elections.
“We want to state clearly that the meeting which has been fixed for 2pm is illegal and an attempt to puncture the sincere efforts being made by the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led NWC to reposition our Party ahead the 2019 General Elections and to ensure unity, equity and justice in the Party.
“The outcome of such meeting which is already known will be a nullity and we admonish our members to disregard such meetings in the interest of the Party. It is illegal to call such meetings outside the purview of the constituted authority.
“The identities of those plotting such meetings have been identified and unless they desist from such they will be dealt with in line with the Party’s Constitution at the appropriate time.
“The NWC will resist any attempt to disrupt the current peace and harmony prevailing in our great Party after the exit of some members of our Party.
“We urge any member who is not satisfied with the decisions of the Party to utillize channels provided by the Party’s constitution to air their views. “We remain focused in delivering good governance to Nigerians and above all ensuring the victory for our Party come 2019 and we will not be intimidated by the antics of a few in ensuring success for our Party.”
