APC crisis deepens as NWC calls Shaibu’s PDP mole

Abdullahi HammedJune 20, 2019

0 4 minutes read

There seems to be no end in sight to the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has described its Deputy National Chairman, North, Lawan Shuaibu, as a mole of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP).

The party leadership also accused him of leaking the party’s sensitive decisions to the opposition.

This is coming as a former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, has described a report submitted by a five-man committee of APC, alleging anti-party activities against him as baseless, contemptuous and embarrassing.

The APC’s National Vice Chairman, North-central, Ahmad Suleiman Wambi, said that considering the separate attacks Shuaibu and the immediate past National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, hauled at the incumbent party National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, Oyegun’s attack was understandably from a man nursing grievances over his rejection. He said that even without pre-empting the awaited decision of the disciplinary committee set up to try Shuaibu, what is sacrosanct is that the party would certainly come down very hard on him.

“I don’t think there is any crisis. As far as I am concerned, all of us belong to the same political party called the APC. We were all elected and given the same mandate to strategise and strengthen the party.

“Maybe we can call it ideological and personal differences; but as for the party, we don’t see it as crisis. Shuaibu expressed his personal opinion enshrined in his fundamental rights, but he got it wrong blanketing the entire NWC and the party in general with such allegations. If he has any score to settle with the national chairman, it should have been personal.

“Without pre-empting the report of the disciplinary committee we set up to try him, irrespective of whether he appeared or not, decision will be taken against him. He even said that we don’t have the mandate to try him, forgetting that anybody could be investigated if the need arises.

“He refused to exhaust all the party’s internal resolution mechanism before taking our party to the market. To add salt to injury, he decided to release that bombshell on the day of inauguration of our president. That alone was enough to attract punishment,” Wambi explained.

Wambi said there might not be anything wrong with his action, but added that the timing, the mischief in the content and his refusal to exploit the internal resolution mechanisms, would force the party to come very hard on him.

He added, “I tell you what, Shuaibu caused most of our problems. Outsiders blame Oshiomhole but they did not know that Shuaibu was our biggest problem. Before we could finish our meetings, the PDP will be in the custody of our discussion.

“Before we finish our meetings, everybody is aware of our decision. How can you build a united party with a mole like Shuaibu in the house? But God has already exposed him and all his misdeeds will be further exposed in the disciplinary committee’s report.”

Commenting on Oyegun’s allegation, the APC chieftain stressed: “Again, the allegations Oyegun raised against Oshiomhole are also his personal opinion. Oyegun is still feeling aggrieved because he was rejected. Oshiomhole is a much more prepared person than him. He is just nursing grudges against Oshiomhole and no matter what happened, he will not like Oshiomhole.

“As far as we are concerned, the party is in good hands. Oshiomhole is focused, vibrant and committed to the well-being of this party. People may not like his style, but if not for his dynamic leadership style and calibre, the PDP would have crushed the APC during the 2019 presidential election. He has the interest of the party at heart.”

In his reaction to the allegation that he is PDP mole, Shuaibu, described it as baseless, threatening to head to court to prove his innocence.

He queried, “Who do l know in PDP that l can leak information to and leak information for PDP to do what? What did l do for PDP? I took a separate campaign for President Buhari, criss-crossing all the states by roads. So, how can anybody say l worked for PDP?

“When l see the publication, l will go to court because l need to know what l did for PDP. He will come to court to let me know what l did for PDP. He is an Oshiomhole’s man and one of the cabals,” he noted.

Also, in a swift reaction however, Oyegun, said that the APC should bury their heads in shame for the party’s failure in many states, noting that instead of the party’s national leadership wearing sackcloths and begging members, they are busy looking for who to cast aspersions on.

Oyegun who spoke through his Adviser on Public Affairs, Chief Ray Murphy, said that he did not want to join issues with those struggling to remain afloat after collecting bribe and creating confusion after the party primaries.

According to him, “Chief Oyegun certainly left the party in a state that he is proud of. As a grandfather, he won’t join issues with people that are still confused over the bribe they collected and confusion they created during the party primaries.

“The party leadership should rather bury their heads in shame for losing five states. Instead of wearing sack clothes to beg APC members to forgive them, they are busy looking for who to cast aspersions on.

“They should know that chief Oyegun, as an 80-year old father has moved on and as an elder statesman, he wishes the party success in all its doings. And in doing so, he wishes that the people who run the party will learn the politics of decorum, diplomacy and how to speak in public,” he explained.

Meanwhile, a former Governor of Zamfara State, Yari, has described a report submitted by a five-man committee of the party, alleging anti-party activities against him as baseless, contemptuous and embarrassing.

Yari, through his Media Aide, Ibrahim Dosara, yesterday said the committee’s report and the publication “caused serious embarrassment and damage” to his personality.