An appeal has gone to President Muhammadu Buhari and the  National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intervene in the feud between the party’s immediate past national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the incumbent, Adams Oshiomhole.
Senator Kabiru Gaya and former acting spokesman of the party, Yekini Nabena, who made the call at separate events in Abuja, yesterday, said the feud was unnecessary and a distraction that could weaken the party.
They charged the president to lead fence-mending efforts to restore sanity to the party. Nabena made his call in a statement while Gaya spoke with newsmen in reaction to the ongoing war of words between Odigie-Oyegun and Oshiomhole.
Gaya, who represents Kano South frowned at the leadership crisis rocking the APC and warned the party’s NWC of the consequences of losing many party members.
Reacting to how the present brouhaha within the party could be resolved, he urged the leaders of the party during a parley with newsmen in Abuja to eschew the temptation of being “dictators and bosses” and embrace a roundtable dialogue for a lasting peace.
“There is no way a political party won’t have problems here and there, but this is too much. It’s affecting us, it’s making us lose states, it’s making us lose members of the National Assembly to opponents, it’s making us lose members of state Assemblies and even governorship seats. It’s not in the interest of the party. We are far less than where we were before. Last time we had elections, we were better off than what we are now. So, it’s a minus. That is why some people like Oyegun must speak.
“It is not good for us to continue like this. People must understand this. If you are a leader, you just do your best. Be a leader not a dictator, be a leader, not a boss, be a leader who accommodates people. That is what leadership is about. As a leader, you have to face many problems. But being given a position to handle, God has equipped you to solve those problems. And when you become a leader, make more friends not enemies.
“We all came together as a team but are now divided. Someone who is a very close friends of the leadership is now in court with a suit against the leadership. We should look inward and say what the problems are with this leadership of the party.
“Let them come together and resolve our problems. Everybody is fighting for the interests and progress of APC. We want the interest of the president.
“We want him (national chairman) to run a good and sound government. That is the essence of the team working together. I believe we should all work together in the interest of Nigeria and for the interest of our party,” he appealed.
In his reaction, Nabena who is also the APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, said the war of words between Odigie-Oyegun and Oshiomhole was unnecessary, describing the development as a distraction that could weaken the party.
“Elections have been won and lost. High-level meetings such as National Caucus and the National Executive Committee are there to address party matters. I call on our respected leaders, particularly the current and immediate past national chairmen to end their public hostilities, particularly in the media.”
Nabena said this was critical to ensure that the APC was focused on the important task of forming government at the state and federal levels, and to deliver on the Next Level mandate.
He stressed that the party needed a united house to grow and deliver on its campaign promises to Nigerians.
“In the immediate, I call on President Muhammadu Buhari, as the leader of our party, to lead fence-mending efforts and address obvious grievances in many states and among stakeholders in the party.
“The losses the APC suffered during the 2019 general elections in some states it previously controlled is indeed worrisome. However, we’re still the governing party, which produced the president, control majority states and have an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly.
“The APC remains the political party of choice for both Nigerians and politicians. I urge our aggrieved members to remain in the APC fold and settle their differences,” he said