Kaduna APC crisis: Peace appears elusive as accusations continue
What started as moments of grumble among few individuals who claimed that they were not carried along by the Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, is assuming a dangerous dimension. Is the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna leading the way f
Under normal circumstances, the APC in Kaduna State should be the least worried among state chapters of the now ruling party. During the 2015 general elections, the party not only succeeded in winning most of the elective positions, including that of the state governor, which had been in the grips of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for 16 years, it also succeeded in dismantling the structures of the then ruling party. As a result of this, a sitting vice president, the state governor, two senators and many House of Representatives members lost their seats.
But as the APC in Kaduna succeeded in clinching positions, it began to lose the cohesion that would have been apt in managing its success. Last week, a group known as the APC Akida, made up of the party’s leaders in Kaduna who are opposed to Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s style of leadership, came out boldly to challenge the governor by enthroning a leadership structure at the state level.
The state executive committee of the group has Mr. Tom Maiyashi as convener, Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro as deputy convener, Hafsat M. Baba as secretary, Murtala Mohammed as publicity secretary and Aminu Sani Gyallesu as deputy organising secretary, among others.
The splinter group did not stop at that, it also promised to establish structures at all levels, including polling units, wards and local governments. Though the group insists it is not a faction of the APC in the state, analysts have concluded that once a leadership structure is in place to run side by side with the existing structures in the state, then it is clear that a parallel party has emerged.
Maiyashi, who was named as the convener, an equivalent of state chairman of the party, said the APC Akida would serve as a platform for key stakeholders and active members of the APC to work for the progress of the party in the state, assuring that party members would intensify campaigns to mobilise members to protect what he calls their legitimate interests.
Those said to be strong supporters of the group include Senator Shehu Sani, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed and Hashiru Kudan.
Incidentally, the state executive of the APC has only an acting chairman, acting secretary and few other positions as most officials had left to take up other A group known as the APC Akida, made up of the party’s leaders in Kaduna who are opposed to Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s style of leadership, came out boldly to challenge the governor by enthroning a leadership structure at the state level appointments.
Initially, the position of the state government was to ignore the group, with the hope that it would go down before attracting attention. But last year, the group succeeded in getting the attention of the national secretariat of the party, which sent a delegation to look into the issue. This, according to observations, must have served to encourage the group to maintain its position as the national body of the party gave it recognition by electing to mediate in the fray. But as the promise went cold with the departure of the delegation, the group met and strategised, which culminated in last week’s resolve to establish its presence at all levels in the state. This was done to express its seriousness to the leaders of the party.
Maiyashi insisted that the APC had been hijacked and incapacitated in Kaduna, and that members were deprived of an opportunity to exercise their rights in the state.
“We exist because our party structures do not exist or function in a manner prescribed by our constitution, neither are the interests of our members protected. One of our key goals is to help re-establish party structure at all levels,” Maiyashi stated. He called on the national leadership of the party to fulfill its promise to reconstruct the party at all levels in Kaduna State.
But the Kaduna State chapter of the APC disowned the group. During a press briefing, the state acting publicity secretary of the party, Salisu Tanko Wusono, warned the group to desist from engaging in what he described as illegal activities or face sanctions.
“The Kaduna State chapter of the APC cannot be factionalised. We will not tolerate indiscipline. We have given people enough time to adjust to the reality that they are not in a position to hold the party or the process of change to ransom, just because of their personal interests,” he stated.
As the party was battling to contain this, the state governor, who in the past had preferred to ignore such challenges, jumped into the issue directly, thereby introducing a new twist to the issue.
Senator Sani, who said he was reliably informed about the governor’s comments at a recent gathering, raised the alarm that his life was in danger and that the governor should be held responsible if anything happened to him.
In a statement by his special adviser on politics and ideology, Suleiman Ahmed, Sani alleged that Governor el-Rufai, had during a town hall meeting in Giwa Local Government of Kaduna State, threatened to “crush him.”
“The governor reliably and evidently referred to Senator Sani, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Isa Ashiru Kudan as ‘ants he would match and crush.’ The senator said he viewed the comment as nothing but a hate speech and a direct threat to his life.
“This statement is to publicly alert security agencies and the general public, that in the event of any injury or assassination of Senator Shehu Sani, no one should be held responsible but Governor Nasiru el-Rufai,” he concluded.
In reaction, the Kaduna State chapter of the APC did not deny or confirm if the governor made the statement, but said that anybody making such a claim should not be taken seriously.
Wusono said, “Crying wolf and insinuating that anyone wants to attack them further exposes them as lightweights. These are people clinging on straws and trying to create mischief, conscious of their political weakness as a coalition of the defeated,” adding that the APC responded so that the public would know that these people have marginalised themselves, expecting the party to worship them.
“The APC and its leaders have every right to warn them to desist from puerile politics. No one will
As accusations continue, it is clear that the party in the state is suffering. According to observers, the opposition PDP sees the crisis as a good opportunity to make a positive statement if it puts its house in order
be allowed to stop the APC from deepening its roots and being strengthened as a party of the people, disciplined and focused on the public good. The APC will not waste time pandering to the insecurities of politicians who have interpreted past efforts to embrace them as a kind of weakness,” he stated.
As accusations continue, it is clear that the party in the state is suffering. According to observers, the opposition PDP sees the crisis as a good opportunity to make a positive statement if it puts its house in order.
At a recent meeting in Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s house, the state chairman of the PDP, Felix Hassan Hyat, said the people had seen the difference between them and those currently in power.
As it is, it seems unlikely that either side of the APC would accept any solution by its national secretariat. If its national body suggests that the splinter group be accommodated in the soon to be reconstituted executive, it is not likely that the El-Rufai side would accept that as it would mean conceding to the demand of the group. Also, the group would not accept any resolution suggesting that the governor be left out as the leader of the party in the state who determines who occupies what position.
This rift, insiders say, has been largely responsible for the government’s inability to hold local government election. But with the new dimension added to the fray, it is obvious that the two sides would remain implacable for a long time to come.