APC Governors Urge Buhari to Intervene and Prevent Top Loyalists from Dumping the Party
Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have earnestly appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to personally intervene and persuade key party loyalists, including Attorney-General Abubakar Malami and Minister of State for Education Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, not to dump the party.
The appeal comes amid increased trepidation regarding potential defections that will further destabilize the party as it struggles with severe internal problems.
The APC, which has been Nigeria’s governing party for some years now, is currently beset by leadership crises, party factionalism, and disputes over its national conventions.
These have all helped to heighten tensions within the party, with some of its high-profile members threatening to quit or already defecting to opposition parties.
In a bid to check the increasing internal bickering, APC governors have called for the immediate intervention of President Buhari to prevent further defections, particularly of high-ranking members of the party.
The governors fear that the departure of people like Malami and Nwajiuba—who have been close allies of the party and the government—would aggravate the existing divisions and hurt the party’s chances in the forthcoming elections.
The governors’ appeal underscores the significant role these loyalists play in the party. Malami and Nwajiuba have been at the very center of the APC leadership, and their potential exit would convey the wrong signal to the rest of the party members as well as the voting populace.
The fear is that losing members who are so highly regarded would further erode the party base and leave a leadership void that the opposition parties would exploit.
The APC’s troubles have been compounded by leadership squabbles and member dissatisfaction. The party has been beset by controversy over the conduct of its National Working Committee (NWC), and the long delay in holding the party’s national convention has only exacerbated the divisions. There have been outbursts of frustration by some APC members at the sluggishness of party reforms, while others have accused the leadership of mismanagement and exclusion from decision-making.
This internal strife has resulted in defections, the latest of which is the defection of the Ondo State Deputy Governor, who left the APC for the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP). This move, viewed by many as a great blow to the APC’s chances in the Southwest, highlights the unrelenting instability within the party.
The governors of APC, while meeting with President Buhari, emphasized the importance of keeping the party united and holding on to democratic principles. They called for the open and transparent preparation of party conventions, which they consider vital to ensuring a fair and democratic process in the APC.
The governors are also concerned that if something drastic is not done, the APC could suffer long-term harm, especially with future elections on the horizon. They believe that the party must regain the trust of its members and show that all decisions will be made through democratic processes so that further fragmentation can be prevented.
Malami and Nwajiuba are seen as key figures in the APC due to their influence and position in the governance of the party. Both of them have played significant roles in the government, and their loyalty has been a plus to the APC. Losing them would not only be a personal loss to the party but could also have a chain reaction, as others could be motivated to question their loyalty.
For the APC, a lot is at stake. The party is already grappling with a divided support base, and the loss of more prominent members risks weakening its credibility and popularity among voters. The involvement of President Buhari is perceived as a necessary move to maintain the party’s unity and avoid further loss of its political capital.
As the APC is struggling with internal conflicts and a growing threat of defections, the summons to President Buhari is a final attempt to save the party’s unity. The outcome of this intervention will carry significant implications for the APC’s future, as the party tries to contain its internal war and present a united front in the lead-up to future elections.
For the APC, the task is not only retaining high-profile members but also demonstrating itself to be committed to democratic values and inclusiveness. The way the party responds to these internal challenges will determine whether it will regain its members’ trust and remain a political powerhouse in Nigeria.
