National Committee okays exercise
In spite of the observations, the All Progressives Congress Wards Congress Committee for Kaduna state expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise in the 255 wards of the state.
Chairman of the Committee, Comrade Adamu A. Modibbo, said in Limanci Kuna Ward in Zaria local government area that he was satisfied with the conduct of the exercise, after monitoring the congress in some wards across the three senatorial districts.
Comrade Modibo said the exercise was conducted peacefully in well organized manner without any untoward incident in all the wards he visited, adding that the reports he got from the teams that went to other zones were equally positive.
The committee chairman told journalists that he was particularly impressed with the large turnout of party members for the congress and the orderliness they displayed in the conduct of the congress.
Comrade Modibo was full of praise for the security agencies in the state for the profound work they did in ensuring peace and tranquillity in all the venues of the congress and all other places before and during the exercise.
He commended the party leaderships at state, local government and ward levels for their sense of organization, peacefulness and commitment to the party.
Comrade Modibo told journalists that “in our unwavering efforts to ensure smooth conduct of the congress and guarantee justice and fairness to all the party members and aspirants, our committee worked round the clock since Thursday issuing out all the necessary materials including forms to aspirants who approached the committee for forms.
“Together with all the members of the committee, we have been working round the clock since we arrived in Kaduna in order to ensure that everything about the congress goes on without any hitch.
“In accordance with the guidelines, we met with the APC stakeholders at the party secretariat after which we constituted three member congress committees for all the wards and gave them all the needed materials for the exercise, promptly.
“Some aspirants, including their leaders requested for forms from us and once they met the stipulated conditions, showing evidence of payment, we gave them the forms. Those were few of the measures we took and to the glory of Allah; the preparedness of the party leaderships at all levels in the state, the exercise is a huge success. We are highly satisfied,” Comrade Modibo added.
Implications of the ward congress
The manner Governor el-Rufai superintended over the exercise ensuring the both Senators Shehu Sani and Suleiman Hunkuyi were nowhere to be found obviously has deepened their wrangling.
The APC ward congress in Kaduna state and the attending controversies has further widen the rift between the factions: Governor Nasir el-Rufai on one side and the serving Senators Hunkuyi and Sani and chieftains of the Restoration and Akida factions on the other side.
But it’s obvious that Governor el-Rufai is in charge and in control of the party in the state. Since there cannot be two captains in the same ship without it capsizing, Senators Suleiman Hunkuyi and Shehu Sani would either have to tow the line and play second fiddle to the Governor and his camp or ship out of the party for good.
The two Senators and other chieftains of their faction chieftains have further fallen from the pecking order of the party’s hierarchy, and perhaps out of relevance.
What results portend for the party
Having taken full control of the party in Kaduna state and with seeming backing of the national headquarters despite Senator Hunkuyi being a NEC member of the party, el-Rufai has shown a deft hand in politics.
The Governor’s endorsement of former SSG to late Governor Patrick Yakowa, Alhaji Samaila Abdullahi Lawal Yakawada and political adviser to the Governor, Malam Uba Sani for APC’s Kaduna North and Kaduna Central senatorial ticket respectively may finally sound the death knell for the two serving senators in the party.
There are indications that they would take their grievances to the APC panel set up to settle disagreements from the ward congresses as the final arbiter but if they remain unsatisfied from the outcome, then they are bound to seek solace under another platform.
The two Senators Hunkuyi and Sani are grassroots politicians who have their structures, support base and followers. Once they leave the party, their followers would follow in tow and that would have adverse effect on the strength and followership of the party in the North and Central senatorial districts, which incidentally are the stronghold of the party in the state.
Their fellow APC Restoration and Akida chieftains: Alhaji Tijjani Ramalan, former education commissioner in old Kaduna state, Maitamaki Tom Maiyashin, former INEC secretary now Special Adviser to the Senate President, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, immediate past APC gubernatorial aspirant, Hon. Isa Ashiru and former gubernatorial candidate in Kaduna state, Alhaji Saheed Inuwa Kajuru, are all resourceful politicians with strong support base, who can make a party stronger by joining it or weaken one when they leave.
However, while the factional leaders may be willing to leave with their supporters, what is not clear is will they be contented to just move out or would they want to do anti-party and other damage to the party to assuage their grievances before leaving?
The APC ward congress in Kaduna state while polarising the party more, has again shown clearly that the Governor and Senators cannot work together in the same party and sooner rather than later something will give.
What the ward congress portends for PDP, other parties
Any rift or division in a party will no doubt weaken such party, and strengthen other opposition parties such as PDP or PRP, except if the party leaders could strengthen other areas to cover for the likely lacuna.
Considering the strength of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, where the opposition party boasts of a former national chairman and ex-Governor in Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, ex- Vice President in Arch. Mohammed Namadi Sambo and serving Senator Danjuma La’ah among others, the weakness of APC will surely be exploited by the PDP. So APC losses may be well PDP gains.
However, the departure of the bigwigs from the APC will definitely detract from APC but it may not necessarily be in favour of PDP, as many of the APC factional leaders, who may dump the ruling party, are former PDP and may not necessarily want to return to the umbrella party.
Few of them have given hint that if they must leave the APC, they would not return to the PDP because, according to them, the PDP is a dead party that cannot be resurrected. They would, it seems, rather join another party.
There have also been snippets of information from the grapevine that they may join a mega party coming on board soon, or join a party that is not prominent that they can rebuild and make string such as the SDP.
While the departure of their faction if it happens would have impact on the APC and politics being a game of interest, they may later find an interest of mutual benefit that would reconcile them and make them work together again.
