The date Thursday 20th May 2021 was indeed a date with history for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) when a second sitting governor of a state, Cross River State’s Ben Ayade, after his Ebonyi State counterpart, Dave Umahi, defected from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party to the APC.
This came in spite of the daily noise made by PDP that APC was losing focus and grip.
For the APC, the emergence of Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni as the Chairman Caretaker Committee of the party on 25th June 2020, remains the best decision taken ever.
As a two-term National Secretary of the party, Governor Buni brought his experience to bear. He aggressively pursued the founding members of the party including Chief Bisi Akande and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu among others to understand why the caretaker was needed to save the party.
Buni’s power of reconciliation through courtesy, humility, respect and throwing the party ownership to the people and now, the famous down-up approach has indeed worked for the party.
It was not surprising therefore that those who left the party in the wake of the crisis that engulfed the party found confidence in the Buni committee and the need to return back.
His approach worked like a magnet. He attracted the aggrieved members and stakeholders with the power of a magnet and soon Chief Barnabas Gemade, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Otumba Gbenga Daniel, Hon. Oladimeji Lawal and many others were back into the party.
With this gift of persuasion and humility, l will not be surprised if PDP’s Chief Uche Secondus announces his defection to APC after two or three meetings with Governor Mai Mala Buni. It can work because it is still a work in progress!
The membership registration and revalidation exercise embarked upon by the Buni committee gave a fresh breath of life and hope for the party.
Although the exercise was initially greeted with skepticism, the same critics participated actively and mobilised their supporters to register and revalidate their membership thus, endorsing the same exercise they had earlier questioned.
No doubt, the membership registration and revalidation exercise has in a way transferred the power of the party to the members, while those who wanted to play the game of shutting others out, have been refused this monopoly.
If the rumours making rounds about the planned defection of Zamfara state Governor Bello Mutawali come to pass, APC will undoubtedly remain Nigeria’s ruling party to beat in 2023 and beyond.
Governor Buni is working, APC is progressing!
Mamman Mohammed is DG Press and Media to Yobe Governor
