By Godwin Amunde
The Director-General, Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman, has expressed concern that the All Progressives Congress (APC) crisis may have no end in sight, until the issue of the Edo State forth coming governorship election and its management is reviewed.
Dr. Lukman, in a submission to the Mai Mala Buni- led Caretaker/Convention Working Committee entitled “Appeal for Reconciliation and Peace building in APC,” claimed that everybody in the APC is blackmailed to accept the way the Edo 2020 Governorship Campaign is being organized as the best way to win the election under the control of Comrade Adams Oshiomohole, which according to him was wrong and it will be injurious to the electoral viability of the party, calling on the party to review the management of the Edo elections.
He said: “Everybody in the APC is being blackmailed to accept the way the Edo 2020 Governorship campaign is being organised as the best way to win the election under the control of Comrade Oshiomhole. This is wrong and in the long run it will be injurious to the electoral viability of the party.
“The issue of Edo election and its management therefore needs to be reviewed by our party. Unfortunately, given the way that the Edo State Governorship campaign has become a tool of blackmail in the hands of Comrade Oshiomhole, even internal party consultations to roll out initiatives towards moving the party forward seems to be slow.
“In the circumstance, the old crisis of leadership has continued to hunt our leaders, and everyone is forced to continue operating with the old mindset, with no end in sight. This is most unfortunate and a complete disservice to the effort of President Buhari to broker resolution of the leadership crisis facing the party.
“With the resolution of a very difficult leadership crisis in the APC, which began during the 2019 general elections and was only resolved at the emergency NEC of June 25, 2020, the atmosphere in the party is still held hostage by the cloud of pro and anti-Comrade Adams Oshiomhole mindset. Just like before the June 25, 2020 emergency NEC, issues of Edo State are dominating public discussions and considerations of issues concerning the party”
The DG, therefore, appealed to APC Caretaker/Convention Working Committee to take every necessary step to achieve reconciliation and peace building in the party by encouraging internal debate without intimidating members who hold divergent/dissenting views from those held by leaders.
He further suggested convening a dedicated session of the national caucus to review the 2019 general elections, including Kogi and Bayelsa elections, and now preparations for Edo and Ondo governorship polls.
Other suggestions by the PGF DG include the ‘Convening a NEC meeting to consider and approve proposed activities of the Caretaker/Convention Working Committee up to the Extra Ordinary National Convention;
‘Commencing processes of Membership Recruitment/Verification, leading to Reformation of Leadership of the party from Wards, Local Government, States to the Extra Ordinary National Convention; and
‘Setting up Constitutional Review/Amendment Committee, which should be able to submit proposals for review/amendment of the APC constitution.’
According to him, the Caretaker/Convention Working Committee should take every step required to achieve reconciliation and peace building in APC through initiatives that will strengthen the powers of the Caretaker/Convention Working Committee to bring about new atmosphere of peace in the party, adding that APC needs to put its house in order internally to sustain the support it has enjoyed from the electorates since 2013.
