Crisis seems to be brewing in the Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the return of Malam Nuhu Ribadu and Marcus Gundiri. The statement made by the chief of staff to Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla, Abdurrahman Abba Jimeta while kicking against the move, brought the impending crisis to the fore.
According to a party chieftain who did not want to be named, the presidency had directed the Adamawa State chapter of the party to organise a grand reception for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate and that of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who lost to the incumbent governor during the elections last year. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, who hails from the state, reportedly issued a letter conveying the directive
It was gathered that some party chieftains expressed their frustration to the development, wondering why Ribadu would be allowed to return, one year after the party wrested power from the PDP.
Addressing party supporters during the flag-off of the construction of the 37- kilometer Kiri-Shelleng road, the chief of staff said the plan to receive the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was a waste of resources and unnecessary glorification of party deserters. He insisted that the returnees should follow the due process for registration, their statuses notwithstanding.
“No matter how big you are, you cannot intimidate us. There is a grand design to undermine us. We got a letter from Abuja, asking us to organise a rally to receive somebody at the Ribadu Square. Whoever wants to join the party should go and register at his ward. We cannot stop him because the party does not belong to anybody. When we won election he was not in the APC, when we cast votes he was not in the APC. We no longer need anybody’s help; we know the suffering we went through to win elections, so nobody can railroad us,” he stated.
Announcing his return to the party on his facebook page, Ribadu stated that some of the issues that led to his exit in 2015 had been addressed in the last 15 months.
“I also did a deep and long reassessment of the circumstances that warranted my exit from the APC in the first place. I left the party in 2014 owing to fundamental disagreements with the ways the chapter of the party in my state was run after it fell into some hands. Some colleagues and I tried hard to save the then administration from an orchestrated impeachment plot, which was unfortunately carried out with active collaboration of some ranking party members in the state.
“However, events in the last 15 months have addressed many of the issues and healed some of the wounds. More so, with the genuine and sincere invitations I received since last year to retrace my steps into the party, I decided to return after consulting family and political associates at all levels.”
Speaking during their reception at the state secretariat of the party in Yola yesterday, Ribadu and Gundiri said they did not return to the APC to hijack it from Governor Jibrilla. They promised to work with the governor and other chieftains of the party to move the state forward.
In his speech, Gundiri urged party supporters to disregard the rumour that he was returning to the party to actualise his ambition. He said he simply wanted to contribute more to the development of the party as a founding member.
Meanwhile, the media aide to Gundiri, Edward Wabundani, dismissed the position of Jimeta as an expression of fear, accusing the government of an attempt to block credible politicians from entering the party. He said that both Governor Jibrilla and Jimeta were also in the PDP before decamping to the APC, adding that Gundiri was the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), one of the parties that metamorphosed into the APC; hence, he has more stake in the party than the governor or his aide.
Wabundani warned government officials against power drunkenness and impunity in politics, saying only the electorate had the power to decide who become their leaders at all levels.
The acting chairman, Adamawa State chapter of the APC, Ibrahim Bilal, said the matter had been resolved, adding that government officials only had problem with the timing of the rally, not the return of Ribadu and Gundiri.
He also denied reports that the party had been embroiled in crisis involving the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and Governor Jibrilla on one side, and Babachir and former Governor Murtala Nyako on the other. He said they remained as united as ever, adding that the party would always welcome new members to its fold.
Soon after Jibrilla was elected governor in 2015, he fell apart with his mentor, Murtala Nyako and shifted his loyalty to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who contested for the APC presidential ticket and lost to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Pundits interpret the current altercation as struggle for the control of party machinery ahead of the 2019 elections. It is believed that Governor Jibrilla, a first term governor, would seek for reelection; hence he wants to remain Atiku’s ally. The former vice president, who is believed to have an ever burning presidential ambition, is expected to contest against President Muhammadu Buhari in the next elections.
Recently, Atiku visited the party’s national secretariat in the company of Governor Jibrilla and called on members to resolve their internal differences.
While many speculate that Nyako, a supporter of Buhari, is backing Ribadu to contest for the party’s governorship ticket, many believe that the SGF wants Gundiri to emerge as the next flag-bearer of the party.
Speaking on the imminent crisis, a party chieftain who did not want to be named, said, “Any side can win. It is better to be cautious and hold on for a moment until it is clear who is going to win. This is important so as to avoid supporting the wrong side. The political storm currently rising in Adamawa State may tear the ruling party apart and embolden the opposition.” Source: Daily Trust
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