Disquiet in APC Leadership as Buhari Sets to Appoint Ministers

Political experts have always maintained that political parties, like other organised groups, rely heavily on strong institutional structures and clear strategic directions to continue to remain relevant and focused. But, the truth is that political parties are too often confused and distracted by internal and external developments that take place after general election, leadership crises within the party and other mundane things.

More so, the ad hoc nature of politics in a developing nation like Nigeria, has always led many parties to discard their institutional build-up, which often leads to the demise of the party once elections are lost or won, funding dries up, leadership changes or when members of the parties who worked for their party’s victory eventually lose out in the distribution of patronages like office appointments.

This is the case with the APC right now. Amid variegated feelings trailing President Buhari’s recent perceived skewed key appointments, some members of the National working Committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC) have continued to raise the alarm that the party leaders are in the  dark over the president’s ongoing process to appoint his ministers.

The president while on official visit to Ghana recently reiterated his promise to appoint his ministers this month, and by the nation’s constitution, he is expected to appoint a minister each from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, also rein-enforced his boss’ assurance that Buhari would keep to his promise.

‘’The President has not said anything contrary to his earlier statement to appoint his ministers this month. And barring any unforeseen circumstances he will keep to his promise’’, the presidential spokesman told recently.
Even though the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, told THISDAY recently in an exclusive interview that the leadership of his party would henceforth insist on ‘’party supremacy’’ and be fully involved in the subsequent appointments by the president, some leaders of the party have continued to insist that there was nothing on ground to suggest that the party is being carried along.

"We read in the newspapers like every other Nigerian that President Muhammadu Buhari had promised to appoint his ministers this month of September. But we, the leaders of the party are in the dark over the process; the president is not talking to us’’, a member of the NWC of the party who pleaded anonymity had told Us. A presidential source also said that the visit of two of the APC national leaders from the South-west:  Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the former National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, to Buhari last week in the Presidential Villa, was designed to literarily draw the ears of the president to save the party from imminent danger. The  meeting lasted for over two hours.

For now, the president may have reasons for going alone‎ by  keeping his ministerial list very close to his chest, but some APC chieftains who spoke with THISDAY have consistently warned that the president may have difficulties getting his expected ministers confirmed by the Senate, if leaders of the party are not carried along.

‘’I am sure the president knows the huge political implications of not carrying leaders of our party along in his ongoing efforts to appoint his ministers. I can tell you confidently that the ministerial list will not pass through the Senate’’, the APC source stated emotionally
THISDAY investigations revealed that the build up anger against Buhari has to do with the humdrum in the president’s style of governance, since his assumption of office a little over 100 days ago.
A former governor in one of the Northern states and now a senator, told THISDAY that ‘’the president would be signing the death warrant of the APC if he chooses not to carry the party along in his appointment of his ministers."

But will the president disappoint those gathering political weapons for a fight with him? A presidential source told THISDAY that though President Buhari once indicated his desire to solely appoint his ministers, but that position has since changed.
"Yes, the president once turned down the governors’ nominees for the ministerial positions. But I was in a meeting recently when governors and leaders of the APC met with the president and he promised to carry them along in the process’’, the presidential source stated.

But then, he hinted that the president is not considering giving the governors and other APC leaders a blank cheque on this matter.

"Even though the governors and other party leaders would be allowed to nominate their candidates, the nomination would finally be cleared by the president because there were many members of the APC who worked against the party during the last general election", the president’s close aide stated.

While reacting to the diverse criticisms that trailed Buhari’s appointments of his personal aides recently, Chief Odigie-Oyengu said, even though the party leaders were "marginally involved" in those appointments, the party would henceforth be "fully involved" in the subsequent appointments."

According to him, ‘’That is where the supremacy of the party will come to bear. Nigerians should exercise a little patience. There will be board appointments, ministerial positions and a lot of other positions’’, the APC’s national chairman assured the people.

Many APC leaders and supporters have in the last few days re-enforced their call for urgent development of strategic planning tool for their party, since they won the last general election. They said it would help the party to prevent organisational problems, while also planning for a step-by-step plan to develop the party's longer-term strategy. And they believe one of the tools that would be an instrument for both organisational self-assessments and planning the future course of the party, is for all the party’s organs to feel a sense of belonging in the present administration.

However, the current strong feeling among political monitors is that Buhari, like many leaders in the world, sees a political party as a ‘sinister interest’ capable of undermining, perverting, or usurping his programmes and policies. And he may have taken a decision to ignore the APC’s organs for now.

Analysts said Buhari is further emboldened by his self-belief that it was his integrity and personality that won the last presidential election for him, and may have told those who care to listen to him to allow him chart his political and economic direction for Nigerians.

While anti-party sentiments continue to build up within the APC, many political monitors are predictingexcessive partisan polarisation within the APC-controlled National Assembly, that may create difficulties for Buhari -- in ensuring legislative cooperation and collaboration to solve urgent national policies and programmes challenges that may crop up in the next few weeks or months. But for now, trust and confidence remains very low in the APC as party’s members await Buhari’s ministerial list.

Source: Thisday