The news of the lifting of suspension on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Mr Osita Okechukwu and Pastor Usani Uguru Usani has been greeted with mixed reactions.
Former governor of Imo State and now Senator Okorocha, welcomed the decision by saying that the National Working Committee (NWC) acted well for lifting his suspension.
A statement released by his special media adviser, Sam Onwuemeodo, said, “Okorocha has always been a very good party man and shall continue in that regard. He shall also continue to work committedly for the good of the Party and also join hands with other leaders of the Party to ensure that the party remains strong in Imo, grows rapidly in the South-East and consolidates at the national level.”
However, a member of the APC from Eke Ward of Enugu State whose suspension was also pardoned, Mr Okechukwu, said he was never suspended by the party since the NWC has no power to discipline members.
The APC chieftain, in a statement, said the purported suspension was a “big fake news.” He said the decision to speak out was necessary because of “the numerous congratulations” received from members of the public who were unaware that the purported lifting of suspension on him was not real.
He said it was only the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiohmole, who could suspend party members in clear breach of the constitution of the APC, part of the statement read. Daily Trust, however, learnt that the decision to lift the suspension was borne out of the ongoing reconciliation efforts in the party which led to the appointment of a high-level 10-member National Reconciliation Committee chaired by the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said in a release that the team constituted after due consultation was in line with the November 22, 2019 resolution of the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
The statement said the committee, whose inauguration would soon be done, was empowered to address grievances of party members and resolve existing conflicts with a view to fostering unity and oneness within the party.
Members of the committee were first Interim APC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande (Vice Chairman); Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase; Sen. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura; Sen. Kashim Shettima; Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor; Alh. Nasiru Aliko Koki; Sen. Khairat Gwadabe-Abdulrazak; Sen. Binta Garba and Sen. John Enoh (Secretary).
Before the APC constituted the committee, the NWC lifted the suspension of Governor Akeredolu, Senator Amosun, Senator Okorocha, Mr Okechukwu and Pastor Usani.
The APC spokesman, in a release issued in Abuja after NWC meeting, said the decision was in line with the party’s deliberate policy of fairness and actions targeted at ensuring harmony within the party across the country.
On March 1, 2019, the APC NWC suspended ex-Governors Amosun, Ogun State and Okorocha, Imo State for anti-party activities.
The NWC also suspended the ex-Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani and the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Okechukwu.
The NWC also threatened to issue a query to the Governor of Ondo State, Akeredolu, over what it called glaring anti-party activities which affected the fortunes of the party’s candidates in the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
Ogun APC faces more division with Amosun’s pardon
Senator Amosun’s prominent role in the breakaway of some APC leaders led by his anointed successor, Adekunle Akinlade, from the ruling party to joined Allied Peoples Movement (APM), was part of the reasons for his suspension.
Shortly after the disputed gubernatorial primary in October 2018, Akinlade having lost the party ticket to Governor Dapo Abiodun, then as candidate, pulled out allegedly on the instruction of Amosun. Amosun openly mobilised for Akinlade as the APM candidate and equally “bankrolled” the campaign.
In February, the crisis within the APC took dramatic dimension when hoodlums hurled missiles at President Muhammadu Buhari and other top echelons in the party at the presidential rally in Abeokuta.
Few days later, the APC leadership vowed to take punitive measures against Amosun over the violent rally. Shortly after the presidential election, Amosun was suspended. His suspension lasted for nine months before his recall last week.
Amosun, after his recall, would be returning to the party he had walked against during the 2019 polls.
This, according to observers, may constitute more harm than good to the already polarised APC. While Amosun had a faction of the APC he led under the chairmanship of Derin Adebiyi, the other faction is led by former Governor Olusegun Osoba.
The APC Caretaker Committee had given the former gubernatorial candidate of the APM, Akinlade and other returnees to the ruling party some conditions that must be fulfilled for their full acceptance and integration into the party.
A statement signed by the spokesperson of the caretaker committee, Tunde Oladunjoye, asked the returnees to follow due process of returning to the party “in accordance with the party’s constitution and established procedures.”
The party also asked them to return to their various wards for registration and realignment.
Already, the APC National Chairman, Comrade Oshiomhole, had welcomed Akinlade and others who left the ruling party to the APM in Ogun State at the peak of the 2019 general elections.
Okorocha’s return may lift fortunes of APC in Imo
The suspension of Okorocha arose from the ex-governor’s bid to install his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, as his successor. But the party refused to support his move. To actualise his ambition, the then governor encouraged Nwosu to defect to Action Alliance (AA), a party, Okorocha formed many years ago before dumping it to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), then to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and finally to the APC. But his dreams eluded him.
The party suspended the former governor in the heat of the governorship crisis, leaving the APC with no leader in the state.
Political analysts are of the view that the action of the party in lifting the sanctions against Okorocha may revive the fortunes of the party in the state.
They say the future of the party in Imo will depend on the performance of Governor Emeka Ihedioha and the ruling PDP.
Ori Martins, a political analyst, said Okorocha’s recall was a good omen to the APC in Imo.
The Imo State APC chairman, Dan Nwafor, was in agreement that the suspension of Okorocha did much harm than good to the party in the state.
Enugu APC stakeholders welcome recall
In Enugu State, the state chapter of the APC said the recall of the suspended members by the NWC was a welcome development.
The State APC chairman, Dr Ben Nwoye , in a short statement he made available to our correspondent in Enugu, stated that the move would help to reduce tension between the party leaders in the affected states.
A chieftain of the APC from Enugu State, Chief Matthias Omeh, said it took a party with good heart to take such action.
Usani’s pardon won’t be effective if he doesn’t change his character – C/River APC chair
The APC chairman in Cross River State, Sir John Ochala, has commended the recent pardon of his predecessor and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani.
Ochala expressed hope that the pardon would bring about positive development in the party, especially at the local level.
Ochala said he was happy that the former minister had been recalled from suspension and hoped that he will now check his behavior.
He said Usani would be welcomed to contribute his quota to the unity and growth of the party in the state.
A lawyer, Chief Utum Eteng, while reacting, also welcomed the pardon, saying it will help to unify the party, make it formidable, and heal old wounds.
There have been lingering bad blood, factionalisation and intense hatred among party members right from the time when Usani was the state chairman of the party.
The development led to numberless litigations over the authenticity of state chairman of the party.
The matter reached its climax when two separate governorship candidates emerged in the last election which counted against the fortunes of the party.
Aggrieved APC members won’t welcome Akeredolu’s pardon
Daily Trust learnt that some of the APC candidates who lost in the last general elections due to what they considered as anti-party activities of Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State might not welcome his pardon. The governor was alleged to have worked for the opposition candidates since his anointed candidates couldn’t secure the party tickets.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
