APC spokesman urges Buhari to intervene in party crisis

Mr Timi Frank, the Acting Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call a meeting of stakeholders of the party to avert internal crisis in the organisation.

Frank made the plea at a news briefing in Abuja on Monday, saying that a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting would halt the crisis brewing within the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Ondo State Governorship election primary election has generated much wrangling within the party and has led to the sack of the state chairman.

The party had called all aspirants to a meeting and also met with the state executive committee in Abuja to resolve all allegations.

After the meetings, the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had overruled the recommendation of the Election Appeal Committee that the primary be cancelled.

The chairman allegedly vetoed a six to five vote by the National Working Committee for the primary to be cancelled.

Frank said there had been many crises in the party and added: “It has gotten to a stage where the president must speak out, he is the leader of the party.

“Every party member is loyal to the president. Let him call a NEC meeting to look into the allegations against Oyegun by Ahmed Tinubu.
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`If we don’t take emergency steps to resolve these issues, even APC leaders in Ondo will sabotage the process for us.’’

He lauded the ‘’Change Begins With Me’’ campaign launched by the president and said the change had to start within the party.

On the issue of the party leader, Tinubu, calling for Odigie-Oyegun’s resignation, Frank said the crisis would have been averted if the party had heeded his call.

“This crisis started when the issue of NASS (National Assembly) came up, I foresaw it because of the decision the party took against their own party members: Saraki and Dogara.

“They closed their eyes to the unfair and unjust treatment against these men. Then it became my turn when my immediate boss left to become the minister of information.

“By the party constitution I’m meant to game over as the publicity secretary but they fought against my person for their own selfish interest.

“They deprived me from doing my job. It spread to Bayelsa then Kano then Edo and now Ondo. You cannot be silent in the face of burning issues.’’

He said the chairman must call a meeting to resolve the crisis, stressing that members should tell themselves the truth.

He threatened that failure for the chairman to call a meeting after 14 days, he would mobilise party members to the national secretariat on a protest.

Frank said he had no personal grouse with Odigie-Oyegun but stressed: “Enough is enough.

‘’If he is doing well I will say it, he is a father, no personal grievance, I just want him to do what is right.’’

He urged other party members to speak out.

He said that many party leaders had in the past advised the chairman to do the right thing.

“I am not a lone voice. What is happening shows we are not prepared to act as the governing party. I repeat, NEC is very important at this point.

“Set up a committee to invite someone like Tinubu and throw more light on his allegations. Is it not glaring that we have crisis within?

“We have internal issues, not just internal now but public issues. Every time they try to cover up a crisis another one bursts.’’

He urged the youth to take up challenge, get into politics and effect the change they desired.