By There are strong indications that President Muhammadu Buhari has taken a last minute effort to save the All Progressives Congress (APC) from further cracks following the recent leadership crisis that rocked the ruling party.
Buhari, who is currently undergoing medical checkup in London, United Kingdom, has reportedly ordered the reinstatement of the embattled Chairman of the APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.
According to sources, the president took the decision after a series of meetings with top leaders of the APC over the weekend in London.
Recall that news had broken out that Buni had been allegedly sacked by the APC and replaced by Niger State governor, Sani Bello who was said to be the man who will oversee the party’s zonal congresses billed to hold on March 26. Bello, in a rather controversial move, took over the APC national secretariat last week.
This development has since fuelled divisions among big wigs in the APC, including state governors with some like Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State openly criticising the Buni-led CECPC of alleged plans to scuttle the convention.
Perhaps to douse the brewing tension, President Muhammadu Buhari issued a statement on Saturday and called for calm among the leaders of the party.
The President also urged APC leaders to be focused on retaining the presidency, and cautioned them members against repeating the PDP’s mistakes while in power.
“Yes, we are entitled to our own share of dissent and intra-party discord. These are common in all parties, left and right all over the world.
”But parties splintered by competing egos destine themselves to the worst possible fate,” the President warned.
”As the country prepares for the long run up to the 2023 presidential election, we all expect a robust debate on the issues that matter and what is going in the APC should be a reflection of this, not the infighting we are seeing. There must be no more distractions ahead of the convention to choose new leaders.”
