A fresh air is permeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara and Gombe states as the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has succeeded in reconciling the warring camps in the two states.
Daily Trust reports that the crisis rocking the APC in Zamfara State was finally resolved on Monday following the intervention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by Adamu.
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The feud between Governor Bello Matawalle, his predecessor, Abdulaziz Yari and Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, had created factions in the state’s chapter of the party.
Several efforts by the defunct caretaker committee of the party under the leadership of the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, to resolve the issue yielded no results.
However, it was gathered that the dispute has been resolved following the intervention of Senator Adamu. Twice, Adamu met with the warring camps, leading to the signing of a peace pact by the feuding chieftains.
Multiple sources said Matawalle and Yari met at the residence of the national chairman where a foundation for the peace deal was laid. One of the sources said the peace deal was finalised on Monday at the party’s secretariat.
Aside Adamu, Matawalle and Yari, the Monday meeting was attended by the Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, and other members of the NWC. It was agreed that all the camps should close ranks and work in the interest of the party. One of the sources said positions were shared between the camps.
“Two senate, four reps and eight state assembly seats have been allotted to the camp of Yari and Marafa,” the source said.
At the two meetings, it was observed that Marafa was absent. But when contacted, Marafa revealed that he was aware of the meeting, saying, “Because of the impromptu nature of the reconciliation, I have to contact my teeming supporters on this. An emergency meeting has been summoned; it is after the meeting that we will make our position known.”
Reminded that sale of forms will close yesterday, he said, “It is an APC affair, it can be extended till June 3. If Zamfara State is important in the journey, APC can extend it to accommodate the people of the state.”
Recall that on April 17, the Chairman of the PDP in Zamfara State, Colonel Bala Mande (Rtd), in Gusau, announced that Yari and Marafa had joined his party.
Similarly, the National Chairman of the APC has succeeded in halting the defection of Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) to the PDP.
The relationship between Goje and the Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, went sour following controversies that trailed the party’s congresses in the state.
Following the inability of the national leadership of the party under Buni, Goje was being wooed by the PDP to dump the APC. The party had sent emissaries to him, including a former Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Daily Trust gathered that after series of meetings, Goje, who chairs the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, was prevailed upon to dump the idea of defection. It was gathered that the former governor has picked APC senate forms.
“In this arrangement, in addition to the senate seat, Goje’s supporters are going to be carried along in other elective positions,” a source said.
Goje’s aide, Ahmed Isa, confirmed that his boss had picked the APC forms to return to the senate.
