- Says ruling party worse off under him Oshiomhole poses threat to political stability of Bauchi, gov cries out
Martins Ifijeh in Lagos and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman, Thursday came down hard on the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, blaming him for what he described as the diminishing fortunes of the ruling party.
This is coming as the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has raised the alarm that Oshiomhole poses a threat to the political stability of the state, owing to his undue meddling in the affairs of the state assembly.
In a letter entitled: ‘APC: Appeal for Reconciliation,’ dated August 6, 2019 and addressed to Oshiomhole, Lukman decried the absence of meetings of superior party organs, given all the challenges the party is going through.
Assessing Oshiomhole’s leadership, Lukman declared that there is hardly any difference between his approach in managing the party and the way Chief John Odigie-Oyegun had managed it during his tenure, adding that instead, things have really gone worse.
He accused the APC chairman of living in denial of the reality of what is happening in the party.
“As a loyal party member, I have difficulty reconciling the absence of meetings of superior organs given all the challenges the party is going through, warranting the suspension of three serving governors – two of them now senators, and two members of NWC.”
“My distant observation is that there is hardly any difference between your approach in managing the party and the way Chief John Odigie-Oyegun had managed it during his tenure. Instead, things have really got worse and painfully, it would appear, you are in denial of this reality.”
Referring to earlier efforts he made to draw the party chairman’s attention to the growing problems in the party, he said: “Kindly recall that sometime in June this year (2019), I sent what I called a private memo on the issues of reported disciplinary actions against Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State by the NWC.
“Of course, the memo noted that before the 2019 elections, the NWC had similarly suspended former Governors Rochas Okorocha and lbikunle Amosun of Imo and Ogun States respectively. Between June and now, Senator Lawal Shuaibu, APC Deputy National Chairman, North and Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, APC Vice National Chairman, North-west have also been similarly suspended.”
Lukman noted that it would appear that the leadership problems facing the party are getting deeper and in the circumstances the business of building the party would be sacrificed.
He lamented, “We had challenges that deprived our party the opportunity to contest 2019 election in Rivers, stripped our party of electoral victory in Zamfara, engendered highest levels of leadership animosities in Imo, Ogun, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kano, Ondo, Oyo, etc. Today, with Kogi and Edo elections approaching similar leadership animosities are defining political life of the party in those states.
Lukman stressed that it was a painful that the party found itself in a situation of near stalemate in many states under Oshiomhole’s watch.
“It is a painful reality that we have found ourselves in situation of near stalemate in many states under your leadership. Embarrassingly, our leaders, including your very self, appear to be stubbornly inconsiderate of other options of resolving these challenges.”
He queried: “If the electoral loss of Oyo, Imo, Zamfara, Adamawa and Bauchi states are not a wake-up call to the dangers that lie ahead, what could have been! Is it that our leaders are indifferent to the possible return of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?”
“In all my years of association with you, I never imagine that one day you will be so comfortable as to be indifferent to challenges that could threaten our national democratic development.”
Meanwhile, the Bauchi State governor, Mohammed has raised the alarm that Oshiomhole poses a threat to the political stability of the state owing to his undue meddling in the affairs of the State Assembly.
The governor was reacting to the courtesy call by eight of the 17 newly- inaugurated members of the state assembly led by the APC national chairman to the Presidential Villa, Abuja where they met President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mohammed spoke yesterday through a press statement issued by his spokesman, Dr. Ladan Salihu.
According to the statement, “the government notes that while it is normal for stakeholders refer to Mr. President and update him, we must dignify his office with the correct information and true position of things.
“The eight members led by the APC national chairman were part of the 17 who were sworn in last week on the floor of the Assembly. All the 31 legislators are now members of one state Assembly. “The media is awash with the video, audio and print materials that captured the swearing-in ceremony.
“Governor appreciates the pronouncement of the president to deal with the issue in line with the constitution because he is a president for all.
“What is clear is that our president was shortchanged with the relevant information by those who led the group for their personal interests and primordial dispositions.
“As far as the government and people of Bauchi State are concerned, the enforced disharmony is now history. Bauchi legislature is one united family. The issue of another proclamation is ludicrous.
“It is clear that our legislators are not the problem, neither is the APC. Mr. Oshiomhole is the problem. He is a clear and present danger to the political stability in Bauchi State. This explains why he excluded members of Edo State Assembly from the visit to the Villa.
“The APC chairman should rethink his strategy as it is dead on arrival because he is dealing with political paper-tigers who were roundly defeated and soundly rejected by our
people”
