Party stakeholders protest APC Chairman’s remark against caretaker c’mttee members
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Stakeholders Forum has frowned at some recent comments by the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, against stakeholders that served on the erstwhile Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
According to a statement obtained by Neptune Prime, signed by the Forum’s chairman, Abdulkareem Sabo Jimeta, the remarks in the media by the party’s national chairman have the tendency of igniting and causing division and disunity in the APC.
The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to gawky and wild vituperation by the National Chairman of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu in the media, against the erstwhile Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, which does not reflect the position of the Party’s National Working Committee.
“As concerned party stakeholders, we had wished this is not happening now when our party is heading for the campaigns to canvass votes from Nigerians for the 2023 General elections. Sadly, this is initiated by no other person than the chairman himself. The implication of such sweeping unsubstantiated statements is that it is capable of igniting and causing division and disunity at this crucial moment for our party.
“Similarly, the weight of these uncomplimentary remarks on the good image of party leaders and stakeholders who served on the CECPC that produced the Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee is ill-timed, counter-productive, and seems like a deliberate agenda of creating an in-house discord to rob the party of victory, unfortunately being initiated by the Chairman himself.
“The malicious and pernicious attack on the personality of the members of the caretaker committee makes it very difficult for any faithful member of the party to keep quiet. We are aware of the current internal crisis rocking the party headquarters with allegations of nepotism causing unrest, and the desperate search for a way out.
“It is disheartening, the growing animosity between the chairman on one hand, and members of the NWC on the other hand. That, the Chairman and other members of the NWC are working on parallel lines at this crucial moment with just a few months to the general election is very worrisome for us and our candidates.
“The recent barricade of the national secretariat by workers protesting nonpayment of their salaries and alleged nepotism where the Chairman brought in two heads of department from his home state and shortchanging the South-South geo-political zone is equally disturbing and calls for urgent attention.
“And now, the wild goose chase of the false, misleading, and diversionary claims against the CECPC which was dismissed by other members of the National Working Committee is divisive, unhealthy, and ill-intentioned.
“The claim of alleged N7.5 billion debt came as a rude shock. We are aware that the CECPC at its briefing to President Buhari, told the president that it inherited a debt profile of about N700 million in legal fees from 2013 and that a committee under the Chairmanship of Professor Tahir Mamman OON, SAN, was constituted to verify the claims and the committee reached agreements with the legal firms in which the acclaimed fees were reduced by 50% and subsequently settled. The CECPC said as a responsive party administration it paid off the negotiated liabilities 100% and that, as of December 2021, the party was not owing any firm any legal fee.
“The claim of ghost workers, as concerned party stakeholders, we are also aware that following the merger of the political parties ACN, ANNPP, CPC, DPP, and later N-PDP, the workforce of the parties were transferred to the new party to work for free for the first five months. I also recall the committee constituted to formally engage the staff under the Oyegun-led NWC.
“The committee came up with far-reaching recommendations which were partially implemented, and following the expiration of the tenure of the Chief John Oyegun-led NWC, the NWC members of subsequent administrations continue coming with their personal aides who were admitted as staff.
“Another interesting area is the claim by the National Chairman that he met a secretariat where anything goes. The CECPC successfully conducted a National Convention from which Abdullahi Adamu emerged as the chairman. The CECPC administration also successfully conducted the nationwide membership revalidation and registration exercise and fully paid the Buhari House National Secretariat, where Senator Adamu now operates as chairman. It also led the party to various Governorship, National, and State Assembly elections with victories.
“Unlike the Chairman, President Muhammadu Buhari eulogized the CECPC for bringing APC back to life. He said at the last convention of the party which graciously produced Abdullahi Adamu “Our party under the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni-led CECPC, has bounced back to life”.
“There is always the need for caution and detailed investigation to authenticate everything and anything that goes out for public consumption rather than rushing out with unverifiable claims.
“The sad loss of party members in Nassarawa, the home state of the chairman due to high-handedness is most unfortunate at this crucial moment when we canvass for support and votes for APC to remain Nigeria’s ruling party and for our presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
“As concerned members of the party, we are very disturbed if the chairman who had earlier not supported the aspiration of Ahmed Bola Tinubu, is still bent on rocking the boat to scuttle our chances in the 2023 election and the chances of Tinubu becoming Nigeria’s next president.
“We, therefore, urge President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, to as a matter of urgency call Senator Adamu to order while the Tinubu campaign organisation remains vigilant of every movement by the Chairman to avoid mishap,” the statement said.
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