APC Crisis In Adamawa Deepens As Former SGF Spits Fire

The long unresolved crisis eating up the fabric of Adamawa All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken another different dimension as, in recent times, major stakeholders seen to be at a serious logger-heads without recourse to peace as 2019 general elections draws nearer.

The crisis began at the earlier stage of Senator Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla Bindow’s administration, accusing him of diverting his allegiance to Atiku Abubakar who fought him not to be the Governor of the state.

The change of loyalty of Bindow hurt the likes of Murtala Nyako, Babachir David Lawal, Marcus Gunduri, Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako, Senator Moallayidi and all other loyalist of Murtala Nyako who they felt their much sacrifices done to bring him to power is abused by the seating Governor, and to them taking out of the office is the best noble course they live to do for the people of Adamawa state.

The nose-diving of the party in Adamawa is clearly seen when faction of the party Senior stakeholders held a meeting in Lelewal hotel in Yola who are known to be a group of a faction of the party that have vowed to be at parallel to the government of Bindow now and in 2019.

The squabbles of the crisis deepens further when the State party organised a stakeholder’s meeting at the banquet hall, in Government House where the Prominent Members of the party attended the meeting.

Those in attendance were the Governor of the state, Sen. Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla, SGF Boss Mustapha, Northeast national Vice Chairman of APC, Mustapha Salisu and former SGF, Babachir David Lawal.

Others are: Senator Silas Zwingina, Senator Binta Garba, Senator Moallahyidi, Marcus Gunduri, Modibbo Dahiru, Aishatu Ahmed Binani, Gen (rtd) Aliyu Kama, former acting Governor James Barka, Seven house of Reps members, all Government political appointees, all 25 lawmakers of the house of assemly, all party leaders from state, LGAs to Ward levels, all commissioners and any rank and file of the party in the state.

Murtala Nyako, Abdulaziz Nyako,  Rinadu and Buba Marwa, who are among the senior stakeholders, did not attend the meeting. However Ribadu and Marwa sent in their apology and representatives respectively.

While at the meeting on Monday, 30th April, Senator Jibrilla Bindow, Boss Mustapha and Mustapha gave central message of party Unity.

They called on all party members to desist from any kind of activities that will divide the state APC along primordial sentiments.

They also called on the party faithfuls to unite for a common purpose as they head to Ward party Congresses this coming Saturday, 5th May 2018.

The crisis began when the former SGF, Mr Babachir David Lawal was denied to speak until he threatened to organise a world press conference and a mic was finally handed over to him after the governor might have given his speech.

Amidst a rowdy session, David said the Monday stakeholder’s meeting was not characterized the name it has been labelled to be – a  “stakeholder’s meeting” but rather a “choreographic” and  stage-managed meeting where only selected number of Governor officials were allow to speak, hence, does stand to be a stakeholders.

He criticized the meeting for not discussing the issue of zoning ahead of the congresses, raising salient points of a free and fairs Congresses in all the 226 wards comprising the state.

Babachir emphasised that APC constitution promotes zoning of positions particularly in diverse states like Adamawa and wondered why the issue was not discussed before.

“This is not a stakeholder’s meeting, a stakeholder’s meeting should allow everybody to say his or her mind on any bothering issues that can help the party to grow and for a better Congress.”

“This is not a stakeholder’s meeting and should not be a one-way traffic, this is the first time I went to a meeting and the voice of the party chairman is not heard, this is the first party meeting I have attended in which the party leader role have been played by government officials.

“This is the first political meeting I have attended the role of the party leader has been done by someone else, however, in a choreography meeting like this key issues has to be addressed

He said all that amidst what he described “sponsored thugs’ ‘who were ranting all sort of noise to distract him from talking.

THE CLIMAX OF THE CRISIS

Still holding the podium, the national anthem was sang on him and the meeting brought to a close by the MC ,Abdulraham Abba Jimeta who is the Chief of staff of the Government House

WHERE HIS VIEWS WERE NOT PROPERLY HEARD

In a State of annoyance, Lawal alongside Engr Marcus Gunduri, Senator Moallayidi went and organised a press conference at his personal house in Yola, discrediting the meeting and adjudging that it was a government officials meeting not a stakeholder’s meeting.

At the conference he revealed plans by the leadership of Governor Bindow to conduct illegal congresses and threatened to only support Buhari to emerge a President for the second term not Governor Bindow.

The Looming dangers:

It appears the APC party may not make it in the forthcoming 2019 general elections as there are factions, counter attacks and press conferences given read statements, not wanting to shift ground for the sake of other parties to unite for the common interest of the party.

In one of the press conference organised by the government faction where Prof Jonathan Zwingina was the lead Speaker, he opined that the Governor remains the leader of the party and free and fair Congresses must be conducted.

Binta Garba, the senator representing the northern people of the state, accused Lawal of fueling up religious politics.

He gave account of the genesis of the crisis dated back to 2016 during a meeting in Abuja who stood his ground to bring the current State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal.

She demanded answer to questions on the why it’s now that Lawal is talking about zoning formula. After all he brought the same Bilal to be the current chairman.

“Is it now that he knows of federal character arrangement?” she asked.

The internal political wrangling among the sons and daughters of APC in Adamawa is probably never a resolve one after setting up a reconciliation committees to meet aggrieved members but could not achieved a more desires results.

The Congresses results and those to emerge elected delegates will open an entire new chapter of the party in the state to know the faction that will hold grip of power of the party to general elections.

The separate movement of the factions is an omen that can be bad to the entire party, which can make them to loose 2019 elections if they fail to unite for the interest of the party.

It is clearly seen that the crisis has opened up a bigger and major crack for an opposition party to take over the state from the ruling party.

Bello Kawule Dasin writes from Dasin Figure LGA, Adamawa state.