War in APC as attempts to sell-off pro-Fubara NASS tickets trigger protests
The All Progressives Congress, APC, is in crisis that has delayed it from releasing the final results of its screening of its National Assembly and Gubernatorial Screening results. The Neighbourhood Newspaper can report in good authority that the party is in a mess that its national leadership is struggling to clean up if it must not infringe on the deadline of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The first signs of a brewing implosion emerged soon after the party’s House of Assembly Screening Committee sent to Rivers State disqualified all other aspirants except those sponsored by Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Nyesom Wike. The Committee had days earlier been flown into Port Harcourt in a private jet, lodged in presidential suites in a luxury hotel, where they dined in the mould of kings, and were chauffeur-driven to and fro a palatial palace located along Ada George. It was from there, knowledgeable sources disclosed, the men moved to the Rivers APC Secretariat, for the “screening”. The activity of that particular committee received backlash slaps.
Less than twenty-four hours the panel concluded its duties, the pro-Wike group had received the results and had the approval of the panel to publish them on the social media. Even the State Publicity Secretary of the ruling but beleaguered party, Chibuike Ikenga, gave it an official signature when he personally issued a statement confirming the results. Though the Screening Committee later issued a neither-here-nor-there disclaimer, everyone who understood the group’s political method, realised that what was floated in the social media was the actual result. An Appeal Panel that later convened confirmed the result when it began its own sitting. Up until now, it was not known that the Appeal Panel reversed any of the “not cleared” aspirants.
On the day that Governor Siminalayi Fubara was to be screened, some sort of drama took place in Abuja. APC’s National Chairman Professor Yilwatda Nentawe, refused to join other members of the Governorship Screening Committee of which he is the Chairman. An insider source told this medium that when Gov. Fubara placed a call to his telephone line and for courtesy and honour to him, to let him know that he was on his way to the venue, the National Chairman, on his way to the venue, reportedly made a detour and headed back. However, Fubara, who had submitted all necessary documents, arrived and formalised other demands. He left afterwards but did not head back home. He held some strategic meetings with key stakeholders and some described by a source as “Abuja Hawks who pull strings and Nigeria listens.” Our source did not disclose their identities. Fubara was eventually screened, anyway.
With Fubara’s matter sorted out, those opposed to him then moved to kill the aspirations of all other Rivers’ Members of the House of Representatives not on Mr. Nyesom Wike’s side. The fight is that while those opposed to Fubara have sought to buy-off their slots at huge costs, the leadership of the National Assembly is insisting that all their Members who are still in APC must be cleared to run. In fact, they are insisting on automatic tickets. Their argument is that it had been earlier decided that the leadership of the National Assembly, whether in the Senate or in the House of Representatives, and ranking Members, must all have automatic tickets. And all Rivers’ Reps are ranked and Head House Committees. That was one reason that the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, buried his gubernatorial ambition in Abia State to seek re-election.
Developments are still emerging in APC as it labours to contain growing contentions and looming open protests. APC’s National Working Committee, NWC, is working to dampen the heat and resolve the fights.
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