A former governor, who is a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has accused Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state of scheming to have the convention of the party and 2023 presidential primary on the same day.
Commenting on the crisis rocking the ruling party over convention, the former governor urged President Muhammadu Buhari to swiftly act in the interest of the APC.
After back and forth, the ruling party announced March 26, 2022, as its convention date.
But the ex-governor said, “The convention is now going to hold one week to the Ramadan fast. And if the president assents to the new electoral act, it means that the primaries would be conducted between June and July in line with the provisions of the electoral act. You know the new proposal in the bill is that the primaries should be conducted six months before the general elections.
“From what we are seeing, the party will go into confusion because what they want to achieve is to conduct the convention and primaries at the same time so that aggrieved party chieftains would be left with no option after the exercise,” he said.
Another former governor said the convention was being delayed because the Yobe State governor was eying the presidency.
“He is targeting no one and everyone including himself. It is all about interest. He is desperate to be the next president or at worst the vice president,” the other former governor said.
Another source said some governors, especially those going for a second term, were working in cahoots with the caretaker committee to have an easy sail.
“There are other stakeholders including second-term governors who want to go to the Senate and the only way is to limit the chances of others.
“Of course, we cannot rule out the antics of greedy people who are also looking for ways to take over the party for their selfish reasons. So, President Buhari has a key role to play in stabilising the polity,” he said.
‘Buni’s ambition is to reposition APC, nothing more’
Contacted, Buni’s spokesperson, Mamman Mohammed, punctured the claims that his boss was nursing presidential ambition, describing it as the figment of the imagination of the former governors.
“We have been inundated with these baseless allegations. His Excellency is just doing this job to reposition the party based on the confidence reposed on him by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC). He has never contemplated or discussed with anyone that he has interest in any national office or party office.
“Remember, he is a first term governor. It is just the imagination of those blinded by their aspirations that can’t see the good things the Yobe State governor is doing in the party. We have deliberately refused to join issues with those spreading falsehood against the governor. He is working tirelessly to reposition the party and that is just his ambition. Any other thing is a figment of the imagination of those saying it,” he said last night.
As of the time of this report, Buhari was holding a make or mar meeting.
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