Fresh Crisis In APC As Buni’s Camp Prepares For War Against Adamu

Another crisis seems to be brewing in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as loyalists of the party’s former caretaker committee chairman and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni have drawn a battle line with the party’s chairman and Buni’s successor, Abdulahi Adamu. More than one week after making some weighty allegations against Buni, loyalists of the Yobe governor are fighting back.

Adamu had at a press conference, said he inherited N7.5 billion debts on legal fees alone when he took over the affairs of the party from Buni.

He also accused the Buni-led caretaker committee of overbloating the workforce of the party, maintaining a staff strength of over 200.

“There were more than 200 staff on the payroll and during the audit we had to query where these number of people work. They went to the media that we can’t pay salary of staff just to blackmail us,” Adamu had told journalists. A member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC told Saturday Sun that Adamu’s outburst has unsettled governors, senators and other leaders of the party, who were members of the Buni-led caretaker committee.

The NWC member said Adamu’s outburst may further escalate the crisis rocking the party since the emergence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as presidential candidate of the APC in June.

He said Adamu intends to release the comprehensive report of the audit committee he set up when he assumed office.

According to the member, alleged financial misappropriation, lack of due process and other unethical conducts by Buni-led caretaker committee might be made public in the coming days. He said Adamu’s end game is unknown, as no member of the NWC was consulted before the weighty revelations were made public.

The member who was one of those sponsored by Buni to emerge as an NWC member, said loyalists to state governors and staff of the party might repay Adamu by leaking sensitive dirty dealings of the party to the media in the coming days. He said Buni and his loyalists, who are still rooting for Adamu’s replacement, are expected to hold an expanded meeting, where the issues raised will be tabled.

He said if Buni who he claims is angry decides to fight back, the party will wash its dirty dealings outside.

For instance, he said the expenditure of funds realised from purchase of forms by Adamu-led NWC, still being questioned.

He added that the refusal by Adamu to push for the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, will be tabled in the coming days by those hurt by the outburst.

He said: “Our national chairman making such unguarded statements at the peak of our campaign is reckless. The party is trying to reconcile everyone. Yet, the chairman is fighting personal battles.

“Cant he wait until after the elections to implement the audit report? Why sack staff now when they’re needed during the campaign to fix things? Who is advising Adamu?

“He’s acting like a sole administrator and no one can call him to order. The party needs to find a way to dismiss those media reports. Otherwise, the opposition will have enough to nail us with as we approach the elections.”

Spokesman of the party, Felix Morka, could not be reached for comments. Notwithstanding, another NWC member who spoke to Saturday Sun, said: “Journalists should have asked Adamu to explain more when he made those allegations. The party hasn’t commented on this issue. The issues raised are grave and they were unexpected from the national chairman of the party.

“APC NWC members are reviewing the various documents to understand what informed the allegations by Adamu. These matters and the allegations are criminal.

“When NWC members are done studying the details of the various reports by the transition committees set up, issues raised will be addressed. When Buni took over, he inherited some liabilities from Adams Oshiomhole.

“Oshiomhole too inherited some things from John Odigie Oyegun. That’s how it works. But to openly accused Buni was uncharitable.

“For the records, the over-bloated workforce he’s referring to, Buni didn’t do that. He didn’t recruit. It was Oyegun and Oshiomhole that recruited those staff. It appeara Adamu has some scores to settle with Buni.”

But Adamu’s men are also determined to fight back. A member of APC National Working Committee from North West, said those who feel slighted by Adamu’s outburst, either have something to hide or are trying to undermine his leadership.

He wondered why governors and other leaders of the party are unwilling to give Adamu a free hand to reform the party and play an active role in Tinubu’s campaign.

He said: “Adamu has not done anything close to undermining anyone. His views may not always be popular, but he needs to be respected as chairman. We cannot continue to monitor everything he does.

“Elections are coming and the party needs to close ranks if we must win. The chairman has been urged to tone down on granting interviews. The party has a spokesman that will do that job..”

Source: Saturday Sun

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