The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, has said pride between past and present governors of the party is the reason behind the crisis in some of its state chapters.
Speaking at the party`s 11th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, he said lack of unity in some of the party`s state chapters could cost its electoral victory in 2023.
He recalled that in its efforts to unite the party, its former Caretaker and Extra Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) constituted a national reconciliation committee to find lasting peace in the party.
“I know that President Muhammadu Buhari is not unmindful of what happened to the Peoples` Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014 and 2015 when it lost the presidential election.
Our party is not immune to similar fate should it conduct itself in such a way that continues to undermine the legacy of the founding fathers to build this party.
“I was the chairman of the national reconciliation committee and came out of the assignment fully conversant of the problems.
“The battle rarely is a battle for supremacy between serving state governors and their predecessors in office, it is a crisis fueled by ego, so ego is the enemy,’’ he said.
Adamu, who is a former governor of Nasarawa State, said pride between former and serving governors of the APC had turned them into worst enemies.
He said because of pride, groups supporting the party`s past and serving governors were putting it in jeopardy, adding that such Crises could affect the party`s electoral victory in 2023 general elections.
“The serving and past governors are powerful men, each of them are leaders in their own right in there states, but when two elephants fight, the grass suffers.
“Similarly, when two powerful politicians fight, the party suffers, because the speech and actions of these powerful men will bring a filthy and odious stench to our party,’’ he said.
Adamu said while the party`s former governors were seen as powerful in their own way, incumbent governors remained the party`s leaders in their respective states.
This, he said, was in line with the party’s Constitution, adding that APC former governors must recognise that fact and respect its state structure.
“Our party’s Constitution makes no room for two party leaders in a state, there is no reason to compete with serving governors for the leadership of the party,’’ Adamu said.
Some dignitaries at the meeting included President, Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, APC governors, state chairmen and other members of the National Working Committee (NEC).
APC governors were lead to the meeting by the chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).
