As intrigues over appointment of substantive spokesman for the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) swirl, BODE OLAGOKE who has been observing the delicate plots reports that the party might be heading for destruction
The fresh move to appoint the former minister of Sports, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi as Director of Publicity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has resulted in groundswell of intrigues, angst as well as widening the camps within the party. Consequently, the move to appoint a new spokesman is tearing the party apart as it seems the party is finding it difficult to handle the problem.
However, the problem started since the former APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was appointed Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Muhammed in President Buhari’s cabinet. To fill the vacuum his exit created more than one year ago has become a subject of controversy for the APC and caused a fight between the leaders of the party.
Although some members had expressed interest in the vacant position, the party told them to wait until the next convention date.
While the national chairman of the party Chief John Oyegun declared that the mantle of who speaks for the party has fallen on him and the national secretary Mai Buni , the deputy national publicity secretary, who is constitutionally recognized to step into the shoe of Lai Muhammed was denied. Then, Comrade Timi Frank, a deputy national publicity secretary insisted on occupying the position.
Oyegun during a press briefing on the state of the party among other issues in the polity was asked by journalists to specifically state who speaks for the party at the moment.
The question became necessary as journalists encounter difficulties when making enquiries from the party.
Surprisingly, Oyegun stated that it was either himself or the national secretary that had the right to officially speak for the party.
He said “It was a great loss of Lai Mohammed to the Executive but he’s still within the system. He was truly very special and unique but as we speak, the National Secretary of the party has largely on temporary basis taking up the job of communication to the press and myself (as the Chairman) is always available to any enquiry.
“I will start by saying who does not speak for the party, the person you are talking about does not speak for the party. Secondly, if there are any issues that need clarification for now, pending when we have a substantive publicity secretary, the national secretary will do so for the party and also when I speak, i speak for the party. It is as simple as that”.
But reacting in another press briefing, Frank maintained that he was the national publicity secretary under acting capacity as stipulated by the party constitution.
He said apart from him, any other person in the party issuing statement was doing so under personal capacity.
“Our party constitution is very clear, anybody that does not understand the party constitution within the party or anybody that is still thinking who is the acting spokesperson or acting spokesperson.
“Today I am the spokesperson of the party, I’m the acting spokesperson of the party I can tell you without fear or favour that when the substantive person in the office of the national chairman or the national secretary or anybody that is not there, the deputy takes over automatically.
“This is the principle of the party constitution we have this also existing today in the PDP, you could see that when Muazu was not there Secondus today is acting for the party, so there is no difference, Lai Mohammad Is not there so automatically I’m the acting spokesperson of this party, so I can tell you without fear or favour.
“Any other person issuing a statement is doing that maybe on a personal capacity but constitutionally I am the acting spokesperson of the party. It’s not something I need to lobby for, it is something meant to be the trend and I stand by it.”, he said
As the battle continued, it took another dimension recently as Oyegun and his deputy national chairman (North), Lawan Shuaibu squared up over a plan to appoint former minister of Sports under former President Gookluck Jonathan Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi as ‘Director of Publicity’ of the party.
Oyegun, his deputy and some other NWC members were divided over the development.
Abdullahi is an ally of Senate President Bukola Saraki and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar. He’s from the same state (Kwara) with Lai Mohammed.
The rift over appointment of new Publicity Secretary between Oyegun and Shuaibu Blueprint reliably gathered started when Oyegun, peeved by incessant attacks from Frank initiated the move (behind Shuaibu) to appoint a director of publicity who afterwards would be made substantive spokesman after Frank must have been suspended.
According to the source Sen. Lawal Shuaibu, being the deputy national chairman in charge of North believed that such appointment should have been made by him and not the Chief Oyegun.
The ongoing struggle couple with several others internal crisis rocking the party under Chief Oyegun were said to have divided the NWC members into pro and anti Oyegun factions, while those against the national chairman enjoying the backing of APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
The source revealed further that the plan to appoint Bolaji Abdullahi as Director of Publicity was done behind Shuaibu who ordinarily should have been consulted owing to the fact that the position in question is under the zone he controls as Deputy National Chairman North.
Said our source: “When the matter was debated at the NWC Meeting, Shuaibu and other members disagreed with Oyegun and they also warned him of the implication of appointing a National officer outside National Convention”.
Blueprint also gathered that a letter of appointment had been issued to Bolaji Abdullahi sometime last week, but formalities were put on hold as the NWC couldn’t reach a consensus.
Abdullahi was reportedly sighted at the party’s National Secretariat on Monday last week.
When contacted, the acting national publicity secretary, Frank who had few days back threatened to seek legal redress if the party appoints a new spokesman.
“Senator Lawan Shuaibu’s position is spot on because he knows the constitution of our party and as a man of integrity, he doesn’t want to be a party to any illegality, I’ve not heard this before but I want to say his action is quite commendable. I have always maintained that this is not about Timi Frank, Oyegun’s incompetence is highly embarrassing to us in APC and he must go.”
There are fears that moves might worsen the current state of disarray the party is facing, calls change the leadership of the APC are increasing.
Consequently, the move to appoint a new spokesman is tearing the party apart as it seems the party is finding it difficult to handle the problem
