APC: Northeast and the search for a new scribe

Following the election of Mai Mala Buni, the National Secretary of All Progressives Congress, as the next Governor of Yobe State, the plum office he occupies at the APC National Headquarters is vacant. Assistant Editor, ‘Dare Odufowokan, reports on the ongoing schemes to replace the party’s National Secretary

IT is no longer news that the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mai Mala Buni, has emerged as the governor-elect of Yobe State. The APC scribe ran as the candidate of the ruling party in the March 9 gubernatorial election in the northeastern state.

Consequent upon his election and impending swearing-in on May 29, 2019, the position of the National Secretary of the ruling party is now vacant. Sources at the national headquarters of the party told The Nation that a lot of underground moves are already in top gear as various interest groups within and outside the party hierarchy scheme to have one of them as the next scribe of the APC at the national level.

“The outgoing National Secretary is a huge asset to the current party leadership. His contribution to party administration and decision making has been immense and as such, everybody here is interested in who replaces him. Beyond the issue of zoning and other interests, it is very instructive to say here that those aspiring for the position must ensure that they have what it takes to match the outgoing occupant of the office,” a national executive committee member of the party from Oyo State said.

The Nation also gathered that consultations are currently ongoing at various echelons of the ruling party regarding the development. “The need to ensure that the successor to the Yobe governor-elect emerges without much rancor is of great concern to our leaders. This is because the office of the National Secretary is a very crucial one to party administration. Thus, the occupant must not emerge from a rancorous process in the interest of the party.

“While we are all aware that the party has its zoning arrangement in place, I must say here that we always factor merit and quality into our implementation of the zoning policies whenever scenarios like this arise. This is different from a mere election; it is a replacement process for a man who has performed excellently well and positioned the position as a very crucial one,” another national officer of the party added.

Checks by The Nation revealed that there is a general consensus on the position that the northeast geo-political zone will be allowed to produce a replacement for the Yobe governor-elect. “One thing that is concluded is that the northeast will produce the successor of the outgoing National Secretary of our party. As it is, our next Secretary can come from any of the states in the northeast,” our source added.

The National Working Committee (NWC), according to party sources, was to meet this week to resolve the intrigues in picking the new National Secretary. As at press time, it could not be confirmed if the meeting held. The Nation however gathered that the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, received a number of letters and presentation from some states in the northeast over the matter.

“I can tell you that some groups and individuals sought audience with the National Chairman during the week regarding to the vacant position. Some letters and presentations were also brought to the chairman’s office. Most of the correspondences have to do with proposals on how the next secretary should emerge. Some groups made cases for certain states and persons in their letters and presentations,” our source added.

Intrigues

Mala Buni was on June 23, last year, elected the National Secretary of the ruling APC at the party’s National Convention. His election didn’t come without some high wired politics, especially among the leaderships of the party in the six states of the zone. At last minutes of the convention, Borno State had to concede the position to Yobe State for the outgoing scribe to clinch the post.

“You will recall that last year, Arc. Waziri Bulama from Borno State stepped down at the last minutes for Mai Mala Buni after the Northeast governors had reached a consensus at the convention ground. Naturally, while party chieftains from Yobe State wanted to be allowed to replace Mala Buni with another chieftain from the state, the people of Bornu State see his exit as an opportunity for their man, who is also a tested and trusted party man, to occupy the position,” a source revealed.

There are also talks about the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) bloc in the ruling party calling on APC leaders to consider picking one of them as the next Secretary as a way of compensating the group for the neglect it has allegedly suffered in the party and government appointments since the APC won the 2015 presidential election. “The CPC bloc is not leaving anything to chance in their determination to clinch the vacant post too,” our source added.

“The CPC bloc within the party has been complaining of being alienated in the party’s hierarchy, especially as it concerns national party positions. They see the current development as an opportunity to once again push one of them forward. They have said it clearly that they want to be represented at the headquarters of the ruling party. They are again pushing for Bulama from Bornu State to be considered for the job.

“In fact, a strong recommendation has been made to the leaders of the party to consider Bulama this time ahead of any other aspirant, irrespective of the factors being considered. Bulama, as fate would have it, is from the northeast, the zone we have all agreed should produce Mala Buni’s successor. What is left is for other states in the zone to agree to his choice,” another source added.

The Nation gathered that although there are moves and counter moves in the struggle over who should be the next National Secretary of the APC, the party’s leadership is handling the developments with the required tact and caution in its bid to ensure it does not degenerate into another face-off among the various interests currently jostling for the position.

The contenders

About five chieftains of the ruling APC are reported to be interested in occupying the seat as we speak. They are all from the northeast zone though from different states.  Bulama, who served as the Deputy Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, is one of them. He is from Borno State. He is also said to be the preferred candidate of most of the governors in the zone.

Bulama is also the candidate being allegedly pushed by the CPC bloc in the party. He is reputed to be a strong disciple of President Muhammadu Buhari. It was Bulama who stepped down last year for Buni to be elected as the National Secretary of the APC following an agreement among the governors of the zone. Many of those pushing for his candidacy are convinced he is the best replacement for the outgoing scribe.

Others also said to be interested in the job include Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Garba Abari. He is from Yobe State and a good number of APC chieftains from the state want him to succeed Mala Buni. Also in the race is the National Vice Chairman (North-East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu. He is from Adamawa State.  Others are Alkali Jajere from Yobe State and Kashim Imam from Borno State.

The arguments

Recently, as part of efforts to tilt the party’s decision in favor of his state, the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, in a letter to the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshimhole, said the governors in the Northeast have conceded the office to his state in the interest of fairness and equity. The Nation gathered that the governor’s letter is one of the factors being considered as regards how the next scribe of the APC will emerge.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Following the exit of Buni, APC is about to pick a new National Secretary. The Northeast wants to retain the office as it was zoned to it at the last National Convention. According to a position recently canvassed by the Governor of Borno State, the APC governors in the northeast have zoned it to Borno State. The party leadership has been told to allow the zone decide who it wants for the job.”

A party chieftain from Bornu, Waziri Ibrahim, argued that it is only fair for the party chieftains in Yobe State to throw their weight behind Bornu APC in the race for a new National Secretary. According to him, Bornu did same in 2015 for Yobe State. “But for our own understanding, Mala Buni, the current secretary will not have won. We sacrificed in 2015, we expect them to do same now,” he recalled.

The former northeast Zonal Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), said with Waziri Bulama, the man who sacrificed his ambition for Mala Buni in 2015 now in the race for the same position, it is important for other states of the zone to consider supporting him for the job. “Bulama is a man we all know is fit for the job. He will perform well if given the chance. Other states should consider supporting him,” he added.

Yobe State is however indicating interest to retain the seat. Party sources revealed that some new aspirants from the state have just emerged to make the race a tougher one. Findings by The Nation also revealed that those pushing for another Yobe man to occupy the position are arguing that the state should not be deprived of its slot in the NWC for any reason.

A chieftain of the APC from Yobe State, Hon. Abdu Bala Dogo, however insisted the state should nominate Mala Buni’s successor. “We just cannot understand the decision of aspirants from other states aside Yobe to gun for the office. Yobe will be left without a replacement should the position be taken away from us. That is what people should consider. These who talk about compensation and settling some aggrieved people shouldn’t deny us of our right to be adequately represented within the party leadership,” he said.

“The Bornu governor spoke about an agreement among governors; we are yet to hear the full details of this agreement. Until we hear the full details, we just want to say Yobe should not be made the sacrificial lamb in any power sharing arrangement within APC. Our governor-elect served in that capacity and he made us proud. It is for this reason Yobe should be allowed to nominate his replacement,” Bala Dogo said.