Crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC) seems to be removed from over as members of the defunct New-Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) that joined the APC earlier than 2015 normal elections are accusing the party and President Muhammadu Buhari of marginalizing their members.
The group due to this fact gave the management Buhari, the APC a seven days ultimatum to summon an emergency assembly to deal with their grievances.
Addressing a press convention after a closed door assembly with the APC National Chairman in Abuja on Monday the place a 4 paged letter dated April 27, 2018, titled “Request for redressing of grievances of the former new PDP block within the All Progressives Congress” was submitted, the group chief, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, acknowledged that with out votes contributed by the members of his group, the current authorities wouldn’t have been elected into energy.
The letter, which was signed by Baraje and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola on behalf of the group and addressed to the National Chairman of the party, mentioned; “despite their contribution to the success of the APC, their members have been relegated to the background in the scheme of things in the party and in the government”.
The letter, which was additionally copied to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, stated that the one seat meant for members of the brand new PDP within the Federal Executive Council was given to a member whose state contributed just about no vote to the APC within the 2015 presidential election.
The letter reads partially : “We the members of the APC, who moved over from the PDP to kind the APC earlier than the 2015 General Electrons in Nigeria are desirous of strengthening our party particularly now that new party Congresses have commenced and the Convention and one other spherical of General Elections are imminent. Obviously, this can't be achieved with out addressing elementary points which we want to elevate within the letter.
“We due to this fact want, with due respect, to re-state our expectation then and now that the APC all of us laboured to construct can be one united, inclusive, cohesive and progressive party devoid of divisions, factions, cleavages and tendencies.
“We envisioned political party selling equal rights for all Nigerians’ and making certain speedy and even improvement throughout the nation. Of course there is no such thing as a gainsaying that the truth that the lofty beliefs enumerated above can't be attained with out making certain justice for party trustworthy and residents.
“Kindly indulge us to supply a short reminder of the historical past of occasions that led to the victory of the APC within the 2015 General Elections and the presidential election specifically. It is a plain historic proven fact that the motion of the previous New PDP block to kind the APC contributed immensely to the victory of the APC within the election.
“The former new PDP included 5 sitting Governors of Sokoto, Kano, Kwara, Adamawa and Rivers State and former Governors of Kebbi, Gombe, Osun and former vp of Nigeria, former appearing National Chairman of PDP, Sitting Speaker, House of Representatives, many serving members of the National Assembly and lots of politicians and PDP elders. It was a watershed second in Nigeria’s political historical past.
“Most of those leaders not solely delivered their States to the APC on the election, among the Governors had been additionally assigned particular accountability to make sure that different States had been additionally delivered to the APC within the 2015 election.
The then Governor at Sokoto state took cost of Kebbi and the then Governor of Kano State took accountability for Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa States simply to say a couple of examples. There had been additionally unprecedented efforts by many stakeholders reminiscent of Senator Bukola Saraki in live performance with others, to ship the complete North Central to the APC.
“These efforts, contributions and sacrifice had been made despite the truth that the presidential ticket was taken by the erstwhile Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN) block of the party.
“It is a matter of grave concern that President Muhammadu Buhari, has by no means publicly acknowledged our efforts within the face of clear proof that the full variety of votes scored by the APC in States the place leaders and members of the then New PDP block held sway made the distinction.
“The cussed information are as follows: In Kano State, APC scored 1,903,999 in 2015, and in Kwara 302,146. ln Sokoto State it scored 671,926, and 374 701 ln Adamawa In Kebbl State, APC had 567,883 votes and 885,988 in Jigawa. It was the identical story in Gombe (459,898). Kogi (284,851) and Benue (373,961) votes.
“These represented vital additions to the APC victory column. Indeed, the affect, actions momentum and ripple impact generated by the previous New PDP block was vital within the victory of APC in the complete elections in the entire nation.
“At this stage, we would chronicle a few grievances’ which if addressed will lead to harmonious APC where justice, equity, fairness and peace will reign and enable APC avoid rancor reinvigorate the pace of national development and win the 2019 General Elections as one united party”.
They listed their grievances to incorporate: “In the structure the Federal Executive Council, (FEC) the New PDP block was generously sidelined as just about no positron was conceded to it The solely member that belonged to former New PDP block comes from a state that contributed just about no vote to the APC within the 2015 presidential election.
“There has been no vital patronage and appointments to govt positions in numerous authorities companies reminiscent of Chief Executive and Executive Directors of presidency companies and parastatals as members of our block of the party proceed to helplessly watch as these positions are shared by the erstwhile CPC, ACN, ANPP and even APGA blocks of the party and those that don't have any party in any respect.
“In appointments Into Boards of various government agencies, very few former New PDP members were patronized. These are however not commensurate with our contributions to the growth and Victory of the party, among others”.
The letter additional mentioned; “Our perception is that it doesn't augur effectively for our party if a piece of it feels that it's being handled as outcasts and meddlesome interlopers within the party they rightly belong with the respectable expectation to be handled with injustice each within the working of the party and the federal government.
“Arising from the problems outlined above amongst others, we request for a pressing assembly with the Leader of the party and the party govt management to seek out lasting options to the problems raised in order to organize the party as a combating drive to ship extra pungently on its manifesto and face the 2019 General Elections With even higher dedication.
The assembly may even allow us to work out modalities to make sure a stage enjoying subject for all within the Congresses and Convention of the APC.
“Given the constraining issue of accessible time and within the curiosity of our nice Party, it's strongly suggested that the mentioned pressing assembly be held not later than seven days from the date of the receipt of this letter.
“In conclusion, we the members of the previous New PDP block of the APC want to reiterate that this letter is written patriotically with the perfect of intentions and the nice of our party, the APC, and is issued to alert the management of the APC and specifically, the chief of our party, President Muhammadu Buharl,
who solely just lately indicated his intention to hunt a second time period as President, of grievances that exist throughout the party with a view to making sure justice for all members of the APC household whatever the blocks they got here from previous to the formation of the APC”, the letter added.
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