Joshua Omoloye, Abuja
Acclaimed reformist and former Director General, Progressives’ Governors’ Forum, (PGF) of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Dr Salihu Lukman has called on party members to spare President Muhammadu Buhari of castigation over change of leadership in the party.
Rather, he said like President Buhari, all members should be concerned about rescuing APC from its near-collapse situation as a result of polarisation of interest towards controlling the soul of the party ahead of its national convention.
Lukman in a statement noted that the allegation of imposition levelled against President Buhari is callous and a clear misrepresentation of the internal contest in APC and the President’s effort at rescuing the party from the Gov. Buni leadership.
Responding to insinuation in a section of the media that President Buhari is holding the party to ransom by dictating the pace, the party chieftain said “as part of the plot, once they heard that President Buhari has agreed with some party leaders that necessary actions must be taken to save the party, which requires change of the CECPC leadership, they decided to present it in the media that the President has sacked Buni as the Chairman of the CECPC and appointed Sani Bello as Sole Administrator.
“This is mischievously designed to present both the party and President Buhari as being undemocratic.
“On the contrary, internal organs of the party with all the statutory powers to effect all the necessary changes will be used to give effect to all the aspirations of President Buhari, party leaders and members to rescue the APC from the decidedly depraved leadership of Buni.
“Anybody that will emerge as a replacement of Buni and Akpanudoedehe as Chairman and Secretary will have all the requisite mandate of the organs vested with such responsibility as provided by the Constitution of the party,” he added
According to Lukman, “the truth is that President Buhari, like most party leaders and members, is highly disappointed at the serial cases of deliberate efforts by Buni and his associates to block the APC Convention from holding based on alleged personal ambitions.
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“Between November 2021 and January 2022, the APC Convention had to be postponed three times because of deliberate refusal to initiate most, processes required, such as booking venue for the Convention and serving statutory three weeks’ notice to INEC.
“In addition, there were other serious allegations against the leadership of Buni, which include the discovery that his group, since November 2022, had obtained a court injunction against the Convention and are waiting until three or two days to the Convention before serving it on the party to succeed in blocking the March 26 APC Convention from holding.”
Lukman bemoaned Buni’s plot to continue running affairs of the party and conduct its primary affairs where candidates for 2023 elections would emerge.
“There are specific allegations of Mai Mala Buni, striking some deals with some Presidential aspirants to ensure their emergence as the Presidential Candidate of APC for the 2023 elections.
“Some of the allegations suggests extorting monies from these aspirants, including someone who is yet to join the party. It is being alleged that campaign offices for the aspirant are already being opened even before such a person joined the party.
“All these highlight problems of trust, which the leadership of Buni represented. A good confirmation of why it will be difficult for party leaders and members to continue to invest any trust in his leadership of the CECPC,” he said.
