Division in Nasarawa APC: Early warning signs to 2015

Frictions had long been expected in many state chapters of the All Progressives Congress, APC as a result of the melting of strange elements. While many other states are still containing their issues, the frictions in Nasarawa State seem unending

BY ABEL DANIEL

The first sign of crisis in the newly formed All Progressives Congress, APC in Nasarawa State was not long in coming. It came on the waves of the recently conducted primary elections for the nomination of party candidates for the forthcoming local government elections.

apc

The primary election results which took seven days to be announced were trailed by rancour as many party stakeholders claimed that the results were doctored in a way to favour some of the aspirants.

One of the most negative products of the primaries was the arson that was made on the multi million naira hotel owned by the interim chairman of the party in the state, Architect Stanley Buba, penultimate week in Akwanga by some alleged irate youths .

According to a witness, the youths rained abusive words on the APC, as they alleged manipulation of the primaries.

“They said that he (chairman) changed the names of those that were voted during the primaries by putting names of his boys who were not nominated.”

“The youths also swore to take legal action on the injustice meted on them or dump the party for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” the source said.

However police in the area said they were still investigating the incident.

Buba, the embattled interim chairman of the APC traced the burning of his hotel in Akwanga to some people whom he said “contested the council election and failed in Akwanga local government”.

It must be recalled that some yet to be identified irate youths allegedly razed the Light House Resort, a hotel in Akwanga belonging to the party chairman.

In his reaction to the development when he visited the hotel, Governor Tanko Almakura wondered why anyone would go to the extent of burning the hotel in the face of several appeals by the state government for peace on the issues. He thus called on people in the state to desist from such acts contrary to law.

Responding to allegations of election fraud in the just concluded APC primaries, Buba said that the results of the party primaries were scrutinized and endorsed by the electoral committee in the three senatorial districts before the final declaration.

Amongst other things stated as reasons for the delay and cancellation of the council primaries result in some local governments were election irregularities and malpractices at the polling units in places like Nasarwa Eggon, Wamba, Doma, Lafia, Kokona, Keana and Toto local government areas respectively.

Furthermore, the seat of the interim committee chairman of APC in the state is currently being challenged in the High Court of Justice in Nasarawa State. The Chief Judge Hon. Justice Isha Mohammed had declared the position of the interim chairman in the state APC vacant pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

Justice Mohammed had in an exparte order restrained Buba from being recognized as the interim committee chairman of APC in Nasarawa State pending the determination of the court.

The plaintiff, Hon. Nurudeen Umar had gone to court earlier to stop Buba on the allegation that his appointment as interim chairman of the party contravenes the APC constitution that stipulates that a member of the interim committee must be drawn from either of the 3 major political parties that formed the APC. Buba he alleged was not a member of either of the three political parties that merged to form the APC.

Furthermore, the suspension of the Deputy Governor, Chief Damishi Barua from the party over his statement that the APC’s decision to frustrate the president’s bills in the National Assembly was not in good taste is also stoking further controversy.

Barua told journalists in his home town recently that he was not aware of any suspension as no notice was served him while he was away to the United States of America.

“I am just hearing it from you, but if the party say they suspend me for making a statement in Goshen Church, I made that statement as a Nigerian and not as a deputy governor under APC, and I had the right to make that statement”.

“I said that the decision by the APC to frustrate the president through the stoppage of bills by the APC legislators at the National Assembly was not the best for this country”.

“If government could be stopped from implementing policies because of political interest, then we are not being fair to our people. I insist and stand by this position no matter any political affiliation I belong as a Nigerian”, Damishi Lamented.

  (0)

Division in Nasarawa APC: Early warning signs to 2015