APC Convention and the Mutiny by Yahoo Yahoo Politicians

By Salihu Moh. Lukman

It is no longer questionable that our party, APC, is being held captive by small group of dishonest leaders whose only interest is to impose themselves as either Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidates for 2023 elections. Led by His Excellency Mai Mala Buni, who is entrusted to work with other twelve members of the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), saddled mainly with the responsibility of organising the APC National Convention to elect new leaders of the party, sadly majority of the CECPC members have been reduced to observers as meetings hardly take place and even when meetings hold, decisions are hardly implemented.

Beyond members of CECPC, even the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) is being disrespected, its decisions and leadership are now being snubbed. His Excellency Mai Mala Buni, in flagrant disregard to every known procedure of managing affairs of the party relate only with His Excellency Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, His Excellency Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and His Excellency Dapo Abiodu of Ogun State based on the plot to retain His Excellency Mai Mala Buni as Chairman of the Party up to the time of conducting the primary that will produce candidates for 2023 elections. The other person who is also active in this political ponzi scheme is the CECPC Secretary, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe, who is also aspiring to emerge as the Akwa Ibom Governorship candidate of the APC for 2023 elections.

Interestingly, perhaps except for His Excellency Dapo Abiodun, three of them – His Excellency Mai Mala Buni, His Excellency Yahaya Bello and His Excellency Hope Uzodinma – are all aspiring to become either Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidate. Although His Excellency Mai Mala Buni is not open about his ambition, some of the speculation promoted by people very close to him is that once he is the one to organise the primary to produce candidates for 2023 elections, he stands a good chance to emerge as the Vice-Presidential candidate, or even the Presidential candidate, if the North is to produce the Presidential candidate. In the case of His Excellency Hope Uzodinma, he is being alleged to be aspiring to emerge as a Vice-Presidential candidate to a Northern candidate. Already, His Excellency Yahaya Bello has declared his aspiration to emerge as the 2023 Presidential candidate of the party.

As for His Excellency Dapo Abiodun, he is being guaranteed a second term ticket to emerge as the Ogun State Governorship candidate for 2023 election, which is to block any potential contest given the strong opposition he faces from the former Governor of the state, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun. Beyond guaranteeing His Excellency Dapo Abiodun second term ticket, His Excellency Mai Mala Buni has attempted to make similar offers to all first term Governors of APC. Some of these stories flying around are almost like tales by moonlight, but from every indication, they are true scripts being acted by His Excellency Mai Mala Bunu and his associates.

Consequently, there is so much uncertainty created, just to ensure that the party is manipulated to meet the aspirations of these dishonest leaders. Sales of forms to aspiring candidates for party offices to be contested at the National Convention was to commence on Monday, February 14, 2014. The speculation was that forms cannot be sold until zoning of offices are finalised. Following the departure of President Muhammadu Buhari to the EU-AU Summit in Brussels, the argument became that zoning will only be finalised after his return. Then it became that there was disagreement among Governors on zoning. The latest is that some Governors are opposed to some offices of the party coming to their zones because of their Presidential or Vice-Presidential ambitions.

As things are, today being February 21, 2022, the National Convention is just five days away. Sub-Committees to handle specific responsibilities of organising the Convention were expected to have been announced on Saturday, February 19, 2022. No information has been provided by the CECPC. Now that President Buhari has returned from the EU-AU Summit, the old deceptive argument about Governors having meeting with President Buhari to decide on zoning and other matters related to the Convention has started again. Why should the CECPC wait for meeting of Governors and President Buhari before it setup sub-committees to organise the National Convention? If Governors and the President are the ones to organise the National Convention, why do we have CECPC? It is either that the leadership of the CECPC is incompetent or it is deliberately using the meeting of Governors and President Buhari to create uncertainty in the party as part of the plot to achieve its dubious plan of blocking the Convention from holding.

Recall that both His Excellency Hope Uzodinma and His Excellency Yahaya Bello met President Buhari before he departed Abuja for the AU-EU Summit. And His Excellency Hope Uzodinma, while addressing the media hinted at the possibility of shifting the date of the Convention. In recent times, there has been so much speculation about shifting the APC Convention by two weeks. As part of the justification for postponement by another two weeks, issues of INEC bye-elections in some federal constituencies across the country also scheduled for February 26, 2022 are now being brought up. The date for the bye-election is known even before the date of the Convention is fixed. Why should we wait until this late hour before adjusting our calendar? Why should adjusting our calendar because of INEC bye-election require two weeks? How can INEC bye-election explain refusal to constitute sub-committees or even decide on zoning?

It is clear that Mai Mala Buni is opposed to organising the APC National Convention on February 26, 2022 or any time soon. Consequently, he is working with other dishonest leaders, notably, Yahaya Bello, Hope Uzodinma, Dapo Abiodun and some few others. For all that matters, as far as Mai Mala Buni, Yahaya Bello, Hope Uzodinma and Dapo Abiodun are concerned, even if there is decision to postpone the Convention by another two weeks, or any time soon, they will do everything to sabotage it and ensure another postponement. It is a mutiny against the authority of the party and all its designated leaders, especially President Buhari, being carried by very dishonest people who can best be described as Yahoo Yahoo politicians. They are busy recruiting more dishonest and questionable leaders such as Uzor Kalu and they are moving to recruit some state party leaders into their fold. Everything must be done to rescue APC from the hands of these Yahoo Yahoo politicians represented by Mai Mala Buni, Yahaya Bello, Hope Uzodinma, Dapo Abiodun, Uzor Kalu and their associates.

All committed leaders and members of the APC must initiate the process of disciplinary enquiry against these dishonest leaders. If there was any doubt about the reprehensible conduct of these dishonest leaders and the fact that they are working to destroy the APC because of their selfish interest, by now it should be very clear to all discerning leaders and members. Both PGF, its leadership, President Buhari and all leaders of the party should take every step to reorganise the leadership of the CECPC. Mai Mala Buni and the Secretary, John James Akpanudoedehe should as a matter of urgency and in the overall interest of saving the APC should be replaced and removed as members of the CECPC. The CECPC has very good competent and trustworthy leaders among the other eleven members to pilot the affairs of the party and organise a successful National Convention immediately.

In addition, all collaborators in this Mai Mala Buni led Yahoo Yahoo political fraud, aimed at undermining the party and its leadership, which if not arrested will destroy the APC, involving Mai Mala Buni, Yahaya Bello, Hope Uzodinma, Dapo Abiodun, Uzor Kalu, John James Akpanudoedehe should be sanctioned. Steps should be taken to disqualifying them from all electoral contests, as well as holding any leadership position, both within the party and in governments controlled by the party. APC must have zero tolerance for dishonest politicians.

As a party, APC must come out very strongly against every dishonest conduct by political leaders, no matter the positions they hold. APC must do everything possible to enforce discipline among leaders, which should include sanctioning leaders who betray trust or undermine the capacity of structures and functionaries of the party to implement decisions of organs. If APC is to project its slogan as a party of CHANGE, dishonest and reprehensible conducts such as the ones being exhibited by Mai Mala Buni, Yahaya Bello, Hope Uzodinma, Dapo Abiodu, Uzor Kalu and some few others must be punished!

As a party, APC is now in a state of emergency. Any slip will destroy the party. This is not the period to allow dishonest political leaders gamble with the survival of the party and by extension weaken the nation’s democracy. Everything must be done to restore some minimum standards of conducts by leaders at all levels. Every party leader and member must wake up to the challenge of saving the party. APC is a product of sacrifices by leaders and members. Every sacrifice is required now to save the party.

May Allah (SWT) guide us to rescue APC from the current endless munity by Yahoo Yahoo politicians led by Mai Mala Buni and associate and return the party to its founding vision. Amin!

Lukman ([email protected]) is a Freelance APC Campaigner