Fresh Crises In Aso Rock, As Governor El-Rufai, Three Other Top APC Governors, Move Against Adams Oshiomhole

At least four All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors, are prepared for battle with the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.

The State Governors; Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, whose grievances border on the mode of primaries and automatic tickets issued to some serving Senators, have either directly or through their Allies, attacked Oshiomhole.

Recall, that on Tuesday, the National Secretariat of the APC, released a list of ‘cleared’ Aspirants, in a move to grant automatic tickets to some Senators, whom the party described as ‘loyal’, a move that has further worsened the frosty relationship between the Governors and Oshiomhole.

The action has affected cronies of Governors warming up to dislodge some Senators allegedly at loggerhead with their Governors.

The Governors had insisted that party primaries be held to determine the party’s flag-bearers in the 2019 Senatorial polls, instead of the automatic endorsement of incumbent Senators.

On Wednesday evening, Governors El-Rufai and Akeredolu, visited the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Both Governors have a similar problem with Oshiomhole. They accused him of granting automatic Senatorial tickets to a ‘disloyal’ Senator from each of their States.

However, unlike Kaduna and Ondo States, the main grouse of the outgoing Governors of Zamfara and Ogun States, is with the stance of the National Headquarters of the APC, on their States’ Governorship primaries.

In Zamfara State, Governor Abdulaziz Yari kicked against arrangements made to conduct direct primary to select the party’s Governorship candidate.

The party had slated Thursday for the conduct of its primary.

The direct primary was scheduled to commence on Tuesday, but the Governor on Monday night, said that he would not allow the exercise to hold, in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the State.

One of the Governor’s major complaints, is the exclusion of the party Executives from the exercise. He claimed this would lead to a breakdown of law and order.

The Governor has also been at loggerhead with the Senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabiru Marafa, which is believed to be why the Governor is opposed to direct primaries in the State.

Marafa, alongside seven other Aspirants, had advocated for direct primaries, due to the factionalisation of the party.

One of the APC factions in the State is loyal to the Governor, while the other is loyal to Marafa.

The primaries, which eventually commenced on Wednesday, were ended abruptly, amidst reports of violence and deaths.

With Yari’s tenure coming to an end next year, the issue of the APC Governorship candidate, was yet to be resolved at the time of this report.

The major issue in Ondo State is the award of an automatic ticket by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party to the Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Robert Boroffice, an action which the State chapter has kicked against.

The NWC gave the ticket to Boroffice, against the wish of the State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Boroffice has been at loggerhead with Akeredolu, since the latter’s 2016 Governorship election, when the Senator supported another APC Governorship Aspirant.

The two other serving Senators, Tayo Alasoadura (Central), and Yele Omogunwa (South), were also awarded automatic tickets. Their opponents in the primaries were disqualified.

The State Chapter of the party is urging the NWC to reverse the automatic nomination of Boroffice, in the interest of fairness to those who have been loyal to the party.

Similarly, Aspirants to the Senate on the platform of the APC in the State, also asked the NWC of the party to reverse its decision to disqualify them from contesting the primaries within 24-hours.

The Aspirants, who addressed Journalists in Akure, on Wednesday, include Human Rights Lawyer, Tunji Abayomi; former Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Victor Olabintan; and Lucky Ayedatiwa.

Just like Zamfara, the main grouse of the Ogun State chapter of the APC with the National Leadership of the party, is the mode of primaries.

The State Chapter has accused the national body of ‘frustrating and unsatisfactory’ treatment, which they said is being meted out to them over the Governorship .

The State Chapter of the party had accused the National Leadership of postponing the exercise, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, for the third time, without an official notice to the State party Secretariat.

The Ogun APC Leaders recently vowed not to participate in the primaries, unless the NWC officially writes to the State Chapter, to affirm a date and explain why ballot papers should be used for the direct primaries.

The Ogun APC Leaders also accused the National Chairman, Oshiomhole, of plotting to impose a Governorship candidate on the party.

They accused the Panel set up by Oshiomhole to conduct the primaries, of being “highly compromised”.

By Wednesday, two parallel Governorship primaries held in Ogun State; producing two different candidates.

Elsewhere, the automatic ticket that was recently given to Shehu Sani, a serving Senator in Kaduna State, has pitched the State Chapter of the party against its National body.

Mr. Sani, who is currently representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, was the only candidate cleared for the seat, going by the list released by the APC National body, on Tuesday, thereby, tactically disqualifying his rival, Uba Sani, a close Ally of Governor El-Rufai.

This action has led to the demand for the immediate upturning of the decision by the State chapter.

Perhaps sensing that he may be outmanouevered by the APC Headquarters, Uba Sani, on Wednesday, approached a High Court in Kaduna, to stop the ruling party from conducting the primary to select the party’s candidate for the District.

The court ordered the APC, its Chairman, Oshiomhole, the Electoral Commission, INEC, and incumbent Senator, Shehu Sani, to maintain the status quo prior to October 2, “when the APC excluded Uba Sani and other Aspirants from the contest in favour of one Aspirant.”

The current Senator, Shehu Sani, has been at loggerhead with Governor El-Rufai, since 2015. The Senator was suspended by the Kaduna APC loyal to the Governor, a suspension upturned by the National Leadership.

Shehu Sani was among the Senators many Nigerians expected to defect from the APC, earlier this year. He, however, remained in the party, due to the interventions of party Leaders, like Oshiomhole and Bola Tinubu.

However, with Governor El-Rufai and his loyalists insisting on not allowing Shehu Sani run for Senator, how Oshiomhole resolves that crisis and others, could be a major test of his Leadership credentials.