By Sunny Green
The All Progressives Congress Youth Development and Solidarity Network (APC-YDSN) has raised an alarm over fresh plot allegedly by some Progressive Governors to procure a court injunction to remove Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni as Chairman of Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party.
There has been a leadership tussle in the party with Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, announcing last week Monday that he has replaced Buni as Chairman of the CECPC.
But President Muhammad Buhari, through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Saturday night, called the Governors and other leaders of the party to order.
At a well attended press conference on Sunday in Abuja, the APC-YDSN said since the humiliation suffered by the sponsors of the failed leadership change in the party, there have been concerted efforts to use the instrument of the court to achieve “their objective of effecting a change in the leadership of the party”.
The group’s Secretary General, Tobias Ogbeh, who addressed the press, also alleged that a serving Minister and presidential aspirant from the South South, has earmarked close to N5bn for the purpose of procuring the court injunction against the Chairman and members of the CECPC, since the palace coup has failed.But the group did not name the Minister.It also did not provide evidence of the fund earmarked for the plot.
The group further claimed without showing evidence that the sum of N2.5bn has been set aside as payment for lawyers that would initiate the process, as well as reaching out to the willing Judge, who would, in turn, be rewarded with the sum of N2.5bn.No lawyer, or judge was named by the group also.
The APC-YDSN said it has credible information that the overarching plot is to cause an embarrassment to President Buhari, who from all indications was not in support of the leadership change and never gave his blessings as been speculated in the media by the brains behind the despicable plot.
The group called on the Nigerian Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Security (DSS), to be on alert, stressing that the plot has reached an advanced stage.
The group also warned Judges and other officers in the legal profession to refuse to be used as pawns to truncate the democratic processes in Nigeria.
The text reads: “We welcome you all to this press conference to inform the generality of Nigerians about the plot by some despicable groups and individuals to cause an uprising within the APC and the country at large in pursuit of an ambition built on deceit and the quest for power through the back door.
“The general public is also encouraged to be on the watch as the manifestation of this plot would gather steam soonest. It is our considered opinion that this Minister and some governors are desperate to secure the court injunction to secure a change in the party’s leadership,” the group claimed.
It could be recalled that President buhari had warned leaders and members of the party against backstabbing.
A statement by Shehu said in part, “President Muhammadu Buhari warns the leaders (and membership) of the All Progressives Party (APC) to desist from name-calling and backstabbing ahead of the oncoming March 26 Convention, remain steadfast and maintain its unity if the party is to continue in the path of victory and its dominance at all levels throughout the country.”
Buhari’s statement has been interpreted to mean a call for return to status quo ante bellum.
