APC Crisis: NWC Writes Tinubu, Demands Of Campaign List Withdrawal
THE brewing crisis within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) came to the open as the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), chaired by its National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, wrote the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, demanding immediate withdrawal of the list of members of his (Tinubu’s) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
At the end of a five-hour meeting of the NWC in Abuja on Wednesday, September 28, the NWC, in the letter, titled, ‘Release of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council List,’ regretted that the list was released without recourse to the party’s national leadership, urging Tinubu to restrain the PCC from going ahead with its planned activities, warning that any sign of disarray in the party’s ranks would undermine the spirit and ethos of the campaign and give an undue alarm to faithful members and followers across the country.
The NWC stated that the withdrawal of the list would assure the leadership of Tinubu’s respect and disposition towards the party, as well as his magnanimous spirit of cooperation towards achieving victory together with the NWC.
It regretted that the council and Tinubu breached the agreement with the party’s leadership by releasing the campaign list without consulting the party, noting that as leaders, they owe it a duty to provide guidance by example to the rest of the party, including the PCC, to abide by agreements and adhere strictly to the work ethos that has been adopted by all of them.
The letter read: “On behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I present my compliments to Your Excellency and have the honour to convey to you, in truth and respect, the Committee’s opinion and position regarding the above-mentioned subject matter, with a view to having a clear understanding about the respective roles and responsibilities of the principal organs of the party charged with the duties of conducting the campaigns in the forthcoming general elections.
“This correspondence has become necessary in view of developments that took place over the last few days around the purported appointments into the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) that was announced precipitately by officials of the Council without making recourse to the NWC for approval.
“All along, the NWC had been disposed towards the campaign in a cooperative spirit that is driven by the overall interest of the party and the singular desire of victory for our candidates, in the persons of your esteemed self and your running mate.
“At the same time, such a development would undoubtedly come as ‘Manna from Heaven’ for the opposition parties, whose only desire, when all else fails, is to see the introduction of rancour, division and disinclination in the leadership of our great party.
“I am sure Your Excellency will agree with me that this is an eventuality that we must do all in our power to prevent from happening. You will also agree that we owe it a duty as leaders to provide guidance by example to the rest of the party, including the PCC, to abide by agreements and adhere strictly to the work ethos that has been adopted by all of us.
“It is only by doing so that we will establish the premise for victory and gain the trust and confidence of our dear countrymen and women.
“Without further admonishment or complaints, I wish hereby to call upon Your Excellency to restrain the PCC from undertaking solo projects of this nature, and agree to work with all stakeholders towards taking our party to victory.
“It suffices for me to convey the general and overwhelming sentiment of the NWC with regards to the ill-timed and unfortunate release of the PCC list, which confounded rather than pleased the members and whose withdrawal will assure the NWC of Your Excellency’s respect and disposition towards the party, as well as the magnanimous spirit of cooperation towards achieving victory together with the NWC.”
