Conscious of the implications of the current state of their parties to surviving the next general election, the leaderships of both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have finally got a hold of their respective challenges, setting the parties on new opportunities.

In the APC, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), umbrella body for governors elected on the platform of party, has reaffirmed its support for the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee of the party led by the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni and asked it to proceed with the conduct of the local government and state congresses, as well as the national convention of the party, in line with the mandate of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

However, in the PDP, after two major meetings of the party’s stakeholders and Board of Trustees (BoT) members, its leadership agreed to allow the Uche Secondus National Working Committee (NWC) to continue in office till the next national convention, which has been brought forward from December to October, but with an understanding that the current NWC members would not seek re-election.

The APC governors, in a communique issued yesterday and signed by its chairman and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, following a meeting on Sunday, in Abuja, said after further reviewing the situation, they were convinced that their decision was well informed.

But a group of party members under the banner of Concerned APC Stakeholders, hasalleged that the caretaker committee of the party and some second term governors were bent on making sure the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regained power in 2023.

The Forum said it further reviewed progress being made by the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee in its effort to rebuild structures of the party at all levels and commended members of the committee led by Buni for the successful conduct of the ward congresses across the country.

“Accordingly, Forum reaffirmed its support for the Caretaker Committee to proceed to conduct local government, state congresses and national convention, in line with the mandate of the National Executive Committee.

“Forum was further briefed on the July 28, 2021, judgement of the Supreme Court on Ondo State 2020 Governorship election and recognised that the legal status of both the APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee as well as its composition has been legally settled.”

Having reviewed progress in the party, the Forum commended all party members for theircommitment towards rebuilding the party, adding that, it noted with satisfaction reports from various states of commendable mobilisation and participation in the July 31st, 2021 ward congresses, which was successful.

On the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the Forum stressed that grievances of the Resident Doctors were with state governments, and therefore appealed to them to negotiate with individual state governments and issues affecting them.

The Forum endorsed the initiative of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and supported the call by the federal government through the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige for the immediate suspension of the strike to allow negotiations to continue.

“Noting that most of the grievances of the Resident Doctors are with State governments, Forum appealed to the Resident Doctors to negotiate with individual state governments and issues affecting Resident Doctors in federal establishments should be negotiated with the relevant structures of the federal government,” he said.

Meanwhile, Concerned APC Stakeholders, have insisted that the recent Supreme Court pronouncement on the Ondo governorship election, which suggested that the Buni-led committee was not constitutional and as such could not organise valid congresses, signalled judicial problems that could cost the APC in future elections.

The group, in a statement issued Tuesday by its spokesperson, Mr. Abdulahi Dauda, insisted that the caretaker committee remained illegal going by the apex court pronouncement.

In the group’s statement signed by its spokesperson, Abdulahi Dauda, the group insisted that only a duly constituted National Executive Committee (NEC) could validly hold congresses or nominate candidates and not the Buni-led Caretaker committee.

“Buni is the governor of Yobe State but doubles as APC caretaker chairman, a development,which is at the heart of the current crisis in the party,” said the group, which noted that the caretaker committee was unknown to the party’s constitution and that it was operating without reference to the party’s constitution

It added: “For the love of our great party, we asked that the leaders of our party and those,who genuinely love our party to rise up now and stop Buni and his second term governors that have spent 8yrs and have nothing to lose if the courts hand victory to PDP in 2023 through court pronouncement.”

The group was of the view that there was need for the caretaker committee to stop running the affairs of the party, as all their activities were not recognised in the APC constitution and therefore, illegal.

“If not controlled or expeditiously managed, the caretaker committee may end up becoming a disgrace and will spell doom for the party. that is why we are here to raise our voices as we don’t want the party we laboured for to go into extinction like it happened in Rivers, Bayelsa and Zamfara,” it said.

In the PDP, sources told THISDAY that the decision by the Secondus NWC to jettison re-election at the national convention, which has just been brought forward to a new date, was a gentleman understanding out of their freewill, seeing too that they had to shift grounds in collective interest, and in a no victor, no vanquished resolution. The governors, THISDAY learnt had earlier come into the meeting with a position to exclude NWC members from the election. But this was opposed by some members who pointed out the illegality of such a move.

Even the gentleman understanding by the NWC members was said not to have gone down well with some members of the party, who described the decision as illegal and unconstitutional, leaving the door open for a possible challenge at a later date.

Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, has dismissed any such thing, saying “the party wishes to clarify that no decision was taken to bar any member of the NWC from exercising his or her rights under the constitution of the PDP to contest in the forthcoming National Convention of the party,” his position has been dismissed as a volte face by other members of the party.

Ologbondiyan said the explanation had become imperative given misrepresentations of the outcome of the intervention by elders and leaders of the party on the challenges faced by the PDP, adding: “While the PDP has put these challenges behind it, the NWC states that it will continue to adapt itself to the Constitution, traditions and practices of the party in carrying out its responsibilities.”

But despite Ologbondiyan’s explanation, party leadership hierarchs, members as well its supporters, breathed a sigh of relief that some form of peace has been achieved, quelling the raging inferno that had engulfed its ranks in the last few weeks.

The first meeting was learnt, comprised mainly members of the BoT, current and former governors, former ministers, former Senators and former Presiding and principal officers of the National Assembly, while the second one included the other stakeholders of the party at different levels.

THISDAY further gathered that the path to the success recorded at yesterday’s meetings had been prepared since Monday, August 9, 2021, when during the meeting of the governors, Secondus and his estranged ally, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, believed to be responsible for his plight, were brought together to confront each other and disclose to the sitting what the exact problem was.

This is in addition to the fact that THISDAY had exclusively reported yesterday that the party was planning to bring forward its national convention as part of the new deals, preceding the search for a lasting peace, going forward.

After both men had allegedly addressed the gathering, especially, that they also saw the need to sheathe their swords in the interest and future of the party, more so with Wike allegedly consenting to the fact that reconciliation was imperative since Secondus would eventually retire to the state, they were both asked to agree to abide by whatever would be arrived at after yesterday’s meeting and they did.

Thus, at the joint meeting of the PDP stakeholders, yesterday, convened by the BoT, the party not only succeeded in resolving its leadership crisis, Secondus also survived the plot to remove him from office, even though he had to sacrifice the collective re-election bid (if there was any) of the NWC members.

To that extent, the governors, BoT members and other stakeholders of the party immediately approved the suggestion to bring forward the date for the party’s national convention, while at the same time, proposed a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for some time next week, where other pending issues could he addressed.

Secondus is expected to summon NEC for next week to allow the PDP discuss her zoning plans and set up a committee to that effect as well as constitute another committee for the convention, which has been slated tentatively to hold by the end of October.

Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, while explaining why the party had to come round its internal challenge, dismissed speculations that more PDP governors might still defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying there was neither a party nor government to go to.

Speaking to newsmen, after the crisis had been resolved, Tambuwal, surrounded by Wike, Secondus and other governors, said the party had no other option but to resolve the crisis because of what was ahead of it.

His words: “As party members of the BoT, members of the governor forum, members of former governors forum, former ministers, former Senators, former Presiding officer of the National Assembly and various stakeholders, we are very happy to announce that we have discussed all matters and we have resolved to continue to work as a united family.

“This meeting has agreed that immediately, the NEC should be convened for the party to constitute the National Convention planning committee and the National Convention should be held latest by the end of October. Also, the zoning committee for the party should also be constituted by the same NEC immediately.

“So, we thank members of the National Committee for holding up. We thank them for their prayers and support. We also thank well-meaning Nigerians, who have been waiting patiently for the resolution of these issues.

“The NEC of the party shall meet most likely next week and all the issues will be addressed. And that NEC will be convened by the chairman of the party, who is constitutionally empowered to do so.” Tambuwal stated.

Explaining why stakeholders unanimously resolved to ensure unity in the party, the Sokoto governor said, “You can see clearly that 13 governors of our party, who are our ambassadors are in this meeting, fully committed to not only resolving the issues at hand, but also working assiduously towards delivering good governance in our respective states and moving our party forward.

“Speaking on behalf of my colleagues, we have resolved; we are committed to remaining in PDP. Disregard any rumour, every rumour that any of these distinguished leaders are going anywhere. We are in PDP; we are going to remain in PDP and by the grace of God, we shall be working together to salvage Nigeria.

“If you say you’re going somewhere, where will you go? APC is no party. They do not have a ward structures as we speak. They do not have a local government structure as we speak. They do not have a state structure as we speak. They do not have national structure as we speak.

“APC has never had, and is not having a Board of Trustees. So, where are you going? Are you defecting to federal government? Federal government is not there, because if it is there, asked my colleagues, who are in APC. One of them came out to say that when his students were abducted, that he saw no help.

“He received no help from the federal government, and he is a governor of APC. So, what are we talking about? There is no party to defect to; there is no government to defect. We better remain together and work together, reinvent our party, and work towards the establishment of government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,”, chairman, PDP governors said.

In yet another statement on how the crisis was resolved, Tambuwal said that There were extensive consultations with all major stakeholders in the party with a view to bringing all tendencies within together in view of the urgent task facing the PDP as the only viable vehicle to checkmate the abysmally poor governance of the APC-led federal government.

“The meeting deliberated extensively on the issues thrown up and resolved as follows: That the Constitution, traditions and practices of the party should be strictly adhered to in finding solutions to any problems.

“That all parties should sheath their sword in the greater interest of the PDP and the need to rescue Nigeria from the avoidable National malaise and drift occasioned by the APC administration.

“That all processes leading to an early National Convention in October be immediately activated by relevant party organs, especially, National Executive Committee (NEC).

“That the party should redouble efforts to provide a credible alternative leadership for Nigeria as it still remains the only hope for the Nigerian people for good governance.

“The meeting requested the NEC to immediately constitute a Zoning Committee for Party Offices and another Committee for National elective Offices.

The meeting expressed appreciation to party elders for their commitment and wisdom in handling Party affairs. We shall overcome and restore peace, security and development once again to Nigeria,”, he stated.

In his opening address, Chairman, PDP’s BoT, Senator Walid Jubrin said the expanded meeting of the stakeholders was called to find solutions to the problems affecting the party.

Noting that it was the reason all the 13 governors and deputy governor of Zamfara State were in attendance, he however told the gathering that a former vice president of the country, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar sent his apologies.

Secondus, while briefing the meeting, said the PDP, which belonged to all had reinventeditself and as such, nothing would be difficult in the current challenge to resolve.

It was gathered that Secondus allegedly told the meeting that the October date for the national convention might not be possible as the party has other activities lined up in October. Competent sources close to the Chairman, believe November would be a more realistic preposition.

He was alleged to have been overruled but that the NEC should be allowed to decide since it is the final decision-making organ on all party matters.

Senate Minority Whip, Senator Philip Aduda, who represented Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said, there would be no progress without peace, the need for a quick resolution of the leadership crisis.

“Nigerians are waiting to see how we will come out stronger. No meaningful achievements without peace,” he said and commended the BoT for initiating a peaceful process.

Also, Hon. Segundo Adekoya, the House of Representatives Whip, who represented the House Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, said, “I have come to tell this gathering the leadership of House is behind the party. Whatever it takes at the National Assembly level, it would be done. We are solidly behind you. No more intimidation.”

PDP e-Registration of New Members

Meanwhile, chairman of the PDP e-registration of new members and revalidation exercise, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has said the party was targeting about 40 million new members during the exercise.

He said since the exercise started Monday, over 10000 members have already registered for the party.

Governor Obaseki explained that with the speed Nigerians were registering for the party, its victory in 2023 general election would be an accomplished mission.

Obaseki, who spoke at the BoT meeting of the party said, “Our target is to register 40 million Nigerians as members of PDP and once we achieve that, we shall win every election landslide going forward and there will be no bases to cheat us as was done in the past”.

Hinting on details of the e-Registration exercise, he said, “I want to reiterate that the process of e-registration is local; it is meant for us leaders at the ward level and at the local government level to own our party, the PDP.

“Every leader must now show us their followers by registering their followers as members of the party, PDP. Once you have registered and completed the process, your party card will be printed here at the party Secretariat and sent to the ward for distribution to members of the party,” he explained.

On the overall update of the exercise that started Monday, Obaseki said, “As at today, we are launching a pilot of the resignation exercise using the following state as pilot: Adamawa, Ekiti, Osun, where we almost have 250,000 new voters registered mostly by our party in the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise.

“The whole idea is to make sure that the bulk of those new voters are members of our party and will work for our party in the upcoming election in Osun State. The other states are Taraba, Anambra, Enugu and Edo States. We will run a pilot from today till Sunday this week and from Monday next week, we shall commence a full national rollout,” he said.