The battle for the control of the structure of the opposition All Progressives Congress appears to have taken a dramatic twist. This followed an unprecedented decision by the Rochas Okorocha-led Progressive Governors Forum, to install the Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko and Senator Chris Ngige as chairman and secretary of the National Convention Planning Committee.
It was gathered that the National Executive Council meeting of the party held in Abuja, on Tuesday, was designed to throw up Kawu Baraje and Senator Ajayi Boroffice, as chairman and secretary of the committee, but the governors played a fast one on the party leaders. However, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, dismissed the information as false.
He said those who did not wish the party well were behind speculations of a rift within the party.
Mohammed said, “It’s not true, Asiwaju never proposed anybody. He did not preside over the meeting, as a matter of fact; he wasn’t even there when the convention committee was being sorted out.
“Some people are just trying to plant stories to create disaffection within the party.”
However, a party source, who pleaded for anonymity, told our correspondent on Tuesday night that the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, had proposed Baraje and Boroffice, for endorsement as the chairman and secretary of the committee respectively.
However, as soon as the issue was tabled, Okorocha, who is also the governor of Imo State, rose up to speak on behalf of his colleagues.
He announced to the gathering that he and his 16 colleagues had agreed on Wamakko and Ngige for the job.
Okorocha was quoted as saying, “All the 16 governors of our great party have resolved that Wamakko and Ngige should be chairman and secretary respectively.”
The interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, was left with no choice but to put the two motions to voice vote. At the end of voting, the governors had their way.
This, perhaps, explained why Tinubu, Baraje and a former Kwara State governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, left the meeting shortly before it ended.
The party source, who confided in our correspondent, said, “What happened earlier today (Tuesday), is a clear message that the party is gradually returning to the real owners- the people.
“The APC, as a political platform, like we said from the beginning, is a platform which the Nigerian people will own and call their own.”
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