Tinubu and Bukhari agree to transfer power to the southwest – Tunde Balogun
Tunde Balogun, chairman of the committee to protect all progressive congressmen in Lagos state, said that in 2014 the founding fathers of the party agreed that the southwestern geopolitical zone would nominate a presidential candidate for the party in the 2023 elections.
He said it would be “shameful” for the party to abandon the deal now, adding that the president, Major General Muhammadu Bukhari (retired), APC national leader, Asivaju Bola Tinubu and many others have made a “gentlemen’s agreement.”
There have been hints among some party members and leaders that the decisions of the National Executive Committee meeting chaired by Bukhari on Tuesday were a ploy by some party leaders to seize control of the party for their own benefit, including a plan to 2023. …
The National Executive Committee approved the extension of the six-month mandate of Kustos, led by Mai Mala Buni / EAN Planning Committee, for another six months. He also approved the immediate dissolution of party organs in electoral divisions, districts, local governments, states and zonal levels, as well as the Non-State Working Committee component of the National Executive Committee.
He subsequently approved their immediate re-establishment and settlement of disbanded Excos to serve in their respective offices as a Steering Committee, with the exception of non-NWC NEC members.
But on Saturday, speaking to our correspondent, Balogun said: “In 2014, the founding fathers of APC entered into a gentlemen’s agreement and were committed to this agreement. The party was victorious because they fulfilled the deal they made and they all worked together for the party in 2015 and 2019.
“According to the agreement of 2014, the southwest should become a platform for the nomination of a presidential candidate in 2023. Among them (present) were President Bukhari and Asivaju Tinubu.
“I want this agreement to be respected by the Founding Fathers. I have no doubt that these are people of honor. The deal was made, and as a result of this deal, Bukhari became president in 2015 and 2019, so abandoning the deal now would be shameful.
“As I said, they are people of honor, and I hope they will fulfill the agreement. They know what I’m talking about. Everything except following the trade is like moving the goalpost. ”
When asked by the other parties to the agreement, Balogun refused. When asked if he also believed in the NEC’s resolutions against the 2014 agreement, he replied that doing anything against the agreement was “like moving the goalpost.”
Some party members also argued that part of the motivation behind the resolutions was to thwart Tinubu’s alleged presidential ambitions, Balogun said: “This deal must be done, everyone is against it – it’s like moving the goalpost.
“There are a lot of people who have a personal agenda, pushing through all these guardian ideas, and the dissolution of structures seems unconstitutional to me. The Guardian is not new to the APC constitution, but this is what you are getting now. However, as a devoted party member, I do not want to go against the party.
“People, by virtue of their personal interests and aspirations, are trying to destroy our party and make it unstable. It shouldn’t be. The interests of our party should not be sacrificed on the altar of a person’s personal aspirations or ambitions.
“There is nothing wrong with leaders like Asivaju (supported). He is one of the greatest leaders in Africa; he has charisma, character and he is a man of his people. If he wants to strive, it is his constitutional right to apply for any position in the country. “
Balogun’s opening marks a new twist in a fierce debate over where the ruling party will split the presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 elections.
Former Lagos Governor and Minister of Labor and Housing Babatunde Fashola (SAN) also told reporters on November 24 that APC has struck a gentlemen’s deal that should be followed through.
While deputy party spokesman Yekini Nabena previously told The PUNCH that the party is not currently concerned with zoning the presidency in 2023, some party leaders, including a member of the state’s party fund. Bauchi, Abdullahi Daouda and APC Zamfara State President Alhaji Laval Liman noted that a zoning agreement had been reached in principle.
Meanwhile, some prominent PCA members who were considered loyal to Tinubu also criticized some of the NEC’s resolutions, saying it was a ploy to thwart Tinubu’s alleged presidential ambitions. While Tinubu has yet to announce his intention to run, there is a hint on the agenda that he might challenge the party’s electoral ticket.
Abdullahi Daoud, a spokesman for the affected SPS members under the auspices of the relevant SPS members, called the dissolution of the elected party leaders illegal, pointing out that it was a ploy to influence party candidates. in the 2023 general election.
Source: – Punch ng
