2018 was, for all intents and purposes, a very eventful year for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC). As 2018 draws to a close, ANDREW ESSIEN writes on some of the major issues that defined the party in the year under review.
Interestingly, the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that was almost written off as dead, showed its capacity to bounce back and went on to hold a national convention of leaders that will fly the party’s flag at the 2019 polls.
This, beyond any reasonable doubt, indicated that after all, the APC has a lot more work to do in appeasing the already disenchanted party members and followers that overwhelmingly voted for it even as some diehard proponents of the party are grumbling with dissatisfaction at some actions and inactions of the APC government at various levels.
The war beats are even getting louder by the day as figures (questionable or not) are continually reeled out by the PDP of people coming to the party as a sign of unhappiness with the status quo.
However, these are the major events that coloured the party in 2018:
Oyegun And Tenure Extension Saga
One of the major issues that characterised the governing APC in the year under review was the controversy of whether the then national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s tenure should be extended to allow him oversee the party through the 2019 campaign season. In fact, at one of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party at the earlier part of the year, the session approved the extension of the tenure of the John Odigie Oyegun led National Working Committee (NWC) and state executive committees of the party for any other one year with effect from June 2018.
The meeting which started at exactly 11.06 when President Mubammadu Buhari arrived the APC headquarters accompanied by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and ended at about 2.12 pm was attended by state governors, members of the National Assembly and state Chairmen among others.
Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello who briefed newsmen after the meeting which was supposed to draw up a timetable for the conduct of party congresses leading to the National Convention of the party, said the decision was taken in line with article 13 of the party which allows the NEC to exercise the powers of the National Convention.
He said the tenure extension was taken in view of the need to avoid any confusion in the operation of the party ahead of the forthcoming general elections and to let the Asiwaju Tinubu led reconciliation committee to carry out an effective job.
The Kogi governor was accompanied by the then National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and Chairmen of the party in Plateau, Rivers, Anambra, Ondo and Nasarawa states.
At this meeting however, the party was silent on the conduct of its national convention and the amendment to the party constitution.
He said: “At the end of the National Executive Council meeting today, a major decision was taken in line with the constitution of our party. We are all aware that the tenure of the current NWC and the executive members of this party both elected and appointed comes to an end in June this year.
“Considering the time left for the party to conduct all the Congresses and convention and considering that our leader Sen. Tinubu has been charged with the responsibility of reconciling all aggrieved members of our party, we cannot afford to approach the general elections with more dispute and crisis.
“So, relying on Article 13 of our constitution, which empowers the NEC to carry out the function of the convention, the NEC has decided to extend the tenure of the current NWC and other executive committees at various levels for another twelve months, starting from June 30th.
“Let me tell you that this will not stop the convention of the party. But to go into elective Congresses is what we are trying to avoid relying on the constitution of our party. As a matter of fact, Mr. President believes in ensuring that there are Congresses and convention across board.
“However, how would you manage the crisis that will arise thereabout? Let me give you instances, in Ekiti and Osun states, their state congresses were postponed, similarly in 2014, ahead of the elections, just two states to avoid crisis talk more of the whole country. So, that is why this decision was taken.”
Speaking on the timeline for the Tinubu committee, he said “I don’t have the terms of reference that was given to our leader and I want to believe that there is no committee that is set up without timeline.
So, I’m not in the position to tell you the timeline given to that committee.
“Also, every member of this committee whether one man committee or multiple man committee, I want to assure you that every member of APC, we are cooperating 100 percent with our leader Sen. Bola Tinubu.”
President Knocks Oyegun’s Tenure Extension
In a rather surprising twist of events, the APC was thrown into confusion when another NEC was summoned at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari who told the party’s top leaders at the NEC that the tenure extension of party chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, was against the constitution.
The President told members of the committee during the party’s meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, that it had to overturn the decision to extend Oyegun’s tenure by one year because it could cause division within the party.
During his address, he said he has reviewed the decision and discovered that it is a violation of the party’s constitution and the country’s constitution, advising the party to conduct fresh elections according to its constitutional provisions and urged members to contribute to its success.
He said, “I think it is important for me to speak quickly on the contentious issue of the tenure of our National and State Executive Officers.
“As we all know, a motion was moved at the last National Executive Committee meeting of February 27, 2018, to the effect that when the tenure of the current executives expire in June this year, they should be allowed to continue for one year.
“This motion was duly carried by a majority of members present at the last NEC Meeting, even though some of our party members have since spoken up very vehemently against it. Others have even taken the matter to court.
“On my own part, I have taken some time to review and seek advice on the resolution. And what I found is that it contravenes both our party Constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“While APC Constitution, Article 17(1) & 13.2(B), limits tenure of elected officers to 4 years, renewable once by election, the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), S223, also prescribes periodic elections for party Excos at regular intervals, which must not exceed 4 years.
“Furthermore, Article 31 of our Party Constitution provides that any principal officer wishing to re-contest or contest for another post, must resign from his current post at least one month before the election.
“In this circumstance, what is expected of us is to conduct fresh elections, once the tenure of the current executives approaches its end. A Caretaker Committee cannot remedy this situation, and cannot validly act in place of elected officers.
“Furthermore, I think if we deviate from the constitutional provisions, we might be endangering the fortunes of our party. If the tenure of our party executives can be legally faulted, then it means that any nominations & primary elections that they may conduct, can also be faulted.
“This is not to talk of divisions that would arise, and is already arising within the party, when some of our members feel that they are being denied the right to aspire to executive positions, or that internal democracy is not at play within the party.
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“I am therefore of the firm view that it is better to follow strictly the dictates of our party and national constitutions, rather than put APC and its activities at grave risk.
“Fortunately, we have already approved a timetable for the holding of congresses and elections. I think these should be allowed to go forward and all efforts should now be geared towards making them a great success.”
During a NEC meeting on February 27, 2018, the ruling party made the decision to extend the tenure of its current National Working Committee (NWC) and executive members, both elected and appointed, by a year.
Oyegun Pulls Out of Chairmanship Race
One of the other defining moments in the party was when the then National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, announced his decision not to seek re-election in the June 23rd National Convention of the party.
This significantly doused the tension that had been built up ostensibly because the major contestant and incumbent Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was from Edo state and was touted to have the tacit support of the presidency.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Chief Oyegun did explain that his decision was informed by his genuine love for the party and the need for it to reposition and be better prepared to face the 2019 elections.
The chairman said, “Even though, I had the desire to recontest as National Chairman of the party, I have decided that it is ultimately in the best interest of the party for me to withdraw from the race.”
Odigie-Oyegun explained that he, like most party members, felt it was better to allow the current party executives at all levels to continue in office.
This, he said, could have possibly staved off the current level of discord which followed the recently concluded party primaries.
He, however, admitted that if the decision of the party’s National Executive Committee on tenure elongation was allowed to stand, it would have amounted to postponing the evil day.
Odigie-Oyegun said, “If this decision (tenure elongation) was sustained, we probably have achieved our objective. But we would only have succeeded also in postponing the evil days as it were.
“In retrospect, I am inclined to agree with the viewpoint that even a young political party as ours need to be subjected to the crucible of these contestations, which in any case, is the hallmark of progressive politics.
“In the end, even as difficult as the situation may appear at the beginning, the experience we would draw from managing the contesting interests, can only help to make our party stronger and more resilient.”
He said although he was bowing out of the race, he would remain in office till his tenure officially ends on Monday 25th June, when a new set of party executives will be inaugurated.
APC Holds Elective Convention As Oshiomhole Becomes Party Chair
One of the high points of the party in the year under review was the convocation of the assemblage of all organs and leaders of the party at a convention. But after much contest, Former Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomhole was confirmed as the national chairman of the APC at the party’s national convention at the Eagle Square in Abuja on Saturday, June 23, 2018.
He was elected APC national chairman unopposed after all other candidates for the same position dropped their interests for the position.
Oshiomhole, Labour Minister Lock Horns
One of the major issues that the new National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had after taking over was the faceoff between him and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, from the party so much so that the Minister was threatened to be sacked.
The running battle between the chairman and the minister came to the fore allegedly over his refusal to inaugurate boards of parastatals under his ministry, several months after they were appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Comrade Oshiomhole had written to Chief Ngige asking him to inaugurate all board members appointed under his ministry.
Ngige, however, replied and stated that he had inaugurated three boards in the ministry but would not be in a hurry to inaugurate that of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), because of an alleged N40 billion corruption scandal by the former board.
Speaking with State House correspondents, Oshiomhole said “If the minister refuses we will suspend him from the party.”
He said he has resolved to return to internal discipline to the APC.
“For me it is the height of mischief for any minister, you cannot purport to be an honourable minister and you act dishonourably and nobody is greater than the party.
“And if the President condones disrespect for his office, I will not condone disrespect for the party. And when we expel the minister we will prevail on the president that he can’t keep him in his cabinet; people who have neither respect for his own decisions nor have respect for the party without which they would not have been ministers,” he said.
The APC chairman insisted that the Minister was not appointed as an independent candidate adding that “no minister is above the party and they have taken undue advantage of the president’s fatherly disposition.”
He said the decision not to inaugurate the Boards amounts to a disrespect for the office of the president by all the ministers that are yet to inaugurate board members under their ministries.
APC Splits As rAPC Emerges
After months of speculations, apprehension and threats by some aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, particularly, members of the new Peoples Democratic Party, they finally exited the party yesterday to form a splinter group called the Reformed All Progressives Congress (rAPC).
The faction, which claimed to be the “authentic” faction of the party, said members of the nPDP, the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which had originally merged to form the APC in 2014, are members of the new bloc.
Also, the rAPC declared as null and void the recently concluded elective national congress, which produced the renewed National Working Committee (NWC), led by former Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole illegal, stating that the processes from ward, local and states congresses to the national were breached and emergence of the new leadership was equally compromised.
Addressing journalists, the rAPC National Chairman, Engineer Buba Galadima, said its members were frustrated by the APC government that failed to fulfill its campaign promises to Nigerians and tackle decisively the sustained killings across the country.
At the media parley which had former leader of the nPDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje in attendance, Galadima said the rAPC would work with like-minded political parties and groups to offer Nigeria qualitative good governance in 2019.
Saraki, Kwankwaso, Others Defect
In another major string of quake to hit the party, senate president Senator, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Speaker Dogara and 14 Senators of the APC party, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Saraki on his Twitter handle on Tuesday said ‘I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’.
Among the APC senators that also defected to the PDP are senator representing Kano central, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and senator representing Kogi west, Dino Melaye.
Other senators are Abdullahi Danbaba, Sokoto, Isa Misau, Bauchi; Suleiman Nazif; Baki Shittu, Jigawa; Monsurat Sunmmonu, Oyo; Bayero Nafada, Gombe and Olanrewaju Tejuoso, Ogun.
APC Engulfed In Post-primary Crisis
After adopting the direct system of electing persons who will fly the party’s at various levels of governance structure in the country, the crisis that has bedevilled much of the APC has been dissatisfaction with the way the primaries has been conducted. To this day, the party still grapples with the issues that have arisen there from.
